South Austin Ramble - Take II - The 22 Mile flavor

About a month and a week ago, we ran the 18 mile version of the South Austin Ramble. Here's the Map and write up to that run.
Today, we added two, 2 mile loops at the bottom end of it to make it 22.

We started running at 5AM, and the instructions were to run out there easy and then "fast" for the last 5 miles. I didn't do that.
I ran off slowly holding about an easy 8-8:15 min pace or so for the first few miles.

Quite quickly I found myself isolated in with 3 other people, the 4 of us stretched out over 60 yards or so. Not quite sure why we didn't work together, but for some reason we all were running on our own. I eventually ran with Chris (that used my first Half-marathon training program as his Half Ironman Run-training program) for maybe 4 miles or so.

But, once we reached about mile 7, and a water stop, he was nearing his turnaround point (16 miles day for him) and slowed down, so from there on, I was pretty much on my own.

Let me take a moment to point out that today I discovered that my old GPS Forerunner 201 does not work. The pace per mile it tells me just can't be right. And I know the distance travelled is off too... It's pretty much just a glamorous stop watch, but a good one for dscounting the water stop times while keeping the Timex rolling.

Being on my own, and feeling ok, I decided to change my plan, and try and run a strong run all the way through. I wasn't going to let myself blow up, so at any sign of real fatigue beyond just needing GU, i was going to slow it down. I decided as I'm still 5 weeks out, have a 24 miler in 14 days and plenty of recovery time, I'd test my fitness, my new approach to salt intake, and my legs.

I continued running till I reached the 9 mile turn around point, where Carolyn was and told me I was the 4th to arrive. Of course, "Crazy Legs" Kevin (sub 2:35 NY marathon goal) was up front, and then Cindy and Lisa were behind him. Nothing new there.

Ok, this is getting too descriptice, i'll try and summarize. Reaching Carolyn meant I was in for two loops of fun in the dark on streets with no shoulder, no sidewalk, and many overgrown weeds, grasses etc. Got through those two loops, and ran back.
I did have a couple of people to run past as I ran the first few miles of the return trip, as there were 16, 18 and 20mile runners out there, but pretty quickly I was back on my own.
Didn't see a soul from mile 15 through 22.

I continued to run faster and faster, switched from song to song on my iPod seeking the good ones. I'd spent two and a half hours the night before making a playlist, so i knew there was plenty of gold in there. Surprisingly, it was really invigorating to hear new songs.

Some nuggets you may want to throw into yours include new songs like:
The Kooks - 'She moves in her own way'(current favorite song) & 'Naive',
Beck - 'Sexx Laws',
Modest Mouse 'Missed the Boat'
Mute Math(my current tied for favorite song) - 'Typical'.

Also, some old ones that really helped along the way included:
Violent Femmes,
Songs from Greenday's Dookie album,
Snoop Dog's Gin and Juice to switch it up a bit around Mile 13.
and for my very last 1/2 mile I had U2's Where the streets have no names'.

I don't know why, but that U2 song is spectacular when you're running. The guitar riff speeding up, the lyrics

"I wanna run, I want to hide, I want to tear down the walls, that hold me inside. I want to reach out, and touch the flames... where the streets have no names, I wanna feel, sunlight on my face, I see the dust clouds disappear, without a trace...."

Man! Is there a better song when you've been running 21.5 miles, it's 8AM, you're finally seeing the sun, the morning dawn is clearing and you're just flying down Bouldin towards Barton Springs road??!! I think not.

Anyway, Here's the breakdown, my marathon goal pace is a 7:23 to reach the dream of a 3:15 marathon. Today:
- 5AM run
- 22 Miles
- 2hours 59minutes 10 seconds - overall run time
- 2hours 46minutes 06 seconds - net without water stops counted
- 7min 33sec average pace with the last 2 miles at a sub 7min pace!

I'm really happy. I'm going in to the month of Septiembre feeling very confident.

A barton springs soak session while Shorey and Dionn swam a lap, and a 3 taco pickup at Taco Deli. It's time to eat those suckers, and take a nap. I am NOT turning on the TV. I have to nap, because soon it'll be time for UT Football Beers.