Better together

Pre-workout fuel: Slice of whole-wheat toast with peanut butter and a bite of banana.
Mid-workout fuel: Mandarin Orange Gu at mile 3.5 and another at mile 7.
Workout: Ran 10.15 miles in 1 hour, 31 minutes, 16 seconds; average pace, 9:01.

As Mark and I ran the path that winds around the local university, the first Sunday after the RnR half, I remember asking him an important-ish question. I requested that, if I were to do Fort-4-Fitness, that he accompany on my long runs ... on bike. I would run, he would pedal and would keep each other company.

Then he decided to go ahead and register for the half-marathon himself. Way to foil my plans, buddy!

He still joins me on the long runs but he's on foot. While I am thankful for his company of these high mileage days, his presence is having quite, umm, the effect. My warm-up mile isn't much of a warm up. I maintain a respectable pace even though I am fatigued. Oh, and my average pace is faster than what I need to do come race day to achieve my sub-2:00 goal.

I am sure a running coach would tell me to make these runs a smidge more comfortable -- and I might have thanked them about mile 8 today -- but it's a little thing I call compromise. He runs far, I run fast. They are things that neither of us thought we'd be doing but we do it for our partner - or find the motivation because of our partner. Isn't that what marriage is all about, anyway?!?

Random notes from today's run:

• I saw a beaver.
• I saw the shirtless running brigade ... AGAIN. I wonder if they recognize us as they whiz by us.
• I had to stop several times to adjust some too-big garments (which prompted a trip to the mall and VS this afternoon).
• It was pretty cool despite the fact that today's temp hit 90.
• I definitely felt some twinges in my knees. Either I really need to get the new shoes I wished for last week or the downhill at the park is the devil.

Hope everyone had a good weekend!