Bret

AM - 5 miles easy this morning before work.  Richie who is in town for work meetings joined me for the run and we had an enjoyable conversation.  

AM - 8 miles easy at home this morning before heading over to Rome to visit daughter #2 who is studying abroad this semester.  

No official run, but easily walked over 4-5 miles around the city of Rome - sightseeing etc. for several hours after arriving early this morning.

http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-VqFM5a1gLEk/Uz5uRUbWUPI/AAAAAAAAACE/4fJ_UkyGYQw/s1024-no/IMAGE_3.jpgAM - in Rome.  Narrow cobblestone streets, light rain, hills, and ancient ruins - made for a really interesting run this morning.  

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AM - ran over to Riley's apartment near the Vatican and then she took me on a little tour/run around the neighborhoods where she goes to school and where she hangs out with her friends etc.  Nice run along the Tiber River and then back from her place.  

AM - 7 miles early in the morning in Rome.  Ran along the footpath next to the Tiber River.  Interesting odors down there...Riley had told me about a month ago they had so much rain that the river neared flood stage and I would not have been able to run on this particular path because it was under water.  Below are a couple of photos of the path and debris (trees etc) to show how far up the waters were.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/wEXidvILZYH3YtV3aRoL89MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HLFaMjYZFvdqgkD7q1Wj09MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink

AM - in Rome, I met my daughter, Riley and her boyfriend, Arturo,  for a run a really beautiful park called Villa Borghese gardens.  Ran up the Spanish Steps and meadered around the park.  Her boyfriend doesn't speak English - and I don't speak much Italian, so Riley translated.  She had 2 semesters of Itialian in college, but in the last 2-3 months she's been there, it would appear that she's become pretty fluent in the language.    

Up early for ride to the airport.  Long flight with a couple of delays... one by the airline, and one by me.  After 12.5 hours of flight, I got to the airport parking lot last night only to find out I had lost my car keys... So that happened.

No time for a run.  

AM - 5 miles easy at home.  Did not sleep very long, due to jet lag - so got out for a pleasant moderate run before my first call at work at 6:30 am.    Have to travel late today to Dallas for meeting tomorrow.

PM - 4 more at lunchtime.  Trying to work off the pizza and pasta.

AM - in Dallas for a meeting today. Hopped on the treadmill and did 4 miles at MP after a 2 mile warm up and then did a 1 mile cool down. Catching a cold - it seems.

AM - 4 miles easy before work.  Have a cold.  Felt crappy.

PM - 6 miles at lunch with Richie.  Beautiful day.

AM - 14 miles this morning from my house out to the end of the Dunedin Causeway and Honeymoon Island and then back on the Pinellas Trail.  Really felt pretty lousy with this bad head cold.  Happy to have gotten the miles in though.

Really not feeling well....decided to rest today.

PM - 8 miles easy to moderate after work.  The issue I have been having with my left hip is becoming more of a concern as an injury.  Painful for most of the run, and quite sore afterwards.  Not sure if I should just take it easy the rest of the week and give it time to rest/heal or take it day by day.

Travel day/meetings -  had to go to Charlotte for a work/client meeting - so early to the airport and then back to ATL in the evening...decided to rest the gimpy left leg and not run.

PM - after work.  5 miles on a gimpy left leg - needed this run more for mental health than anything else.  Wasn't that bad.  Usually everything seems a bit better when I run.

AM - chilly morning in ATL - 3 miles easy.  Stretched a bit more before I went out and used the foam roller afterwards.  Not too bad - but still a bit painful.  Resigned that I will just have to plan to run easy.

AM - easy 2-3 mile shake out run in Boston.  Made it in last night -- Tracy decided to join me as a last minute decision.  Beautiful day - gathered up the race number and had a nice lunch near the finish area.  

So this was an event that I truly planned in the last few weeks that I would not really "race," (due to a slight injury, sickness, and general lack of sufficient training to expect to run my best) but instead be a participant to support this year's running of the marathon.  I am pleased to report that I had a mostly wonderful time on the course - although it was not "easy" by any stretch of the imagination - and was moved by the outpouring of support particularly at Wellesley and Heartbreak Hill and of course the last few miles and the finish area at Boyston Street.  

Early on I thought I would be able to maintain a pace of around 7:15 to 7:30 but I realized around miles 8-10 that the temperatures were acting a good bit warmer than predicted, and frankly, I wanted to enjoy this race than try to gut through a tough course.  So, I gradually backed off, and started taking everything in.  To say I was taking it easy, would really be bit inaccurate, because the course really beats you up.  As the miles went on, I did some quick math, and eventually I had in the back of my mind, that I would like to come in below 3:30 even though that's a far cry from where I was last year in London, it seemed like I resonable and respectable time for a mid-race "goal."  As it turns out,  I could not have trimmed it any closer - 3:29:59.  

All in all, I believe this to have been my last ever marathon as runner.  I have done 25 of them over the last 17 years.  And as we all know, the training doesn't get any easier on the old body, mine is no exception.  And the races themselves lately have tended to give me fits of anxiety that I really should not be having - because after all, I run because I enjoy it. When it stops becoming enjoyable, it requires a different approach.  So then....I am proud to have been a part of this marathon, my 5th official Boston finish, and proud to call it my last.

Sore muscles today - as I traveled to Atlanta for work this week. 

AM - went out this morning for an easy jog - actually was surprised that I was as sore or tender as I had expected to feel.  Nice and easy.  Felt good to get out.  

PM - decided that my left hip pain which has reemerged now that my quad soreness has subsided, probably is not going away without some time away from running.  So, trying some cross training.  21 miles of cycling today.  

PM - 18 miles of cycling today.