Up...then down

I decided today to run my long run instead of tomorrow. My Mom is in town for the weekend, and we have arranged to host brunch on Sunday. So I thought it would be a good idea to get the 23km out of the way so that I could focus on family time. Priorities!

I decided for this route to really focus on running downhill. The Boston marathon consists of approximately 14 miles of downhill running, then 5 miles uphill (aka Heartbreak Hill), before more downhill to the finish line. I will admit that I have spent a fair bit of time running up and down the hills of the North Shore, to the point of obsession, as a way to try and prepare for this adventure. As a result, my achilles tendons and calves are ready for a divorce.

I decided one of the best directions for this, was towards Lynn Valley Headwaters, and then down Lillooet Road by Capilano University. Round off a fair bit of flat in the middle, and then 3km of gradual uphill through Mosquito Creek. Seems reasonable enough, right?

The route to Lynn Valley tends to be uphill. For a valley, it's tough going, and quite frankly, I am beginning to wonder where the heck the valley is really supposed to be, if all I do is run UP to it. Anyways, finally get to the Lynn Headwaters and then KM 0 marker before heading down Lillooet Road. Good God, I thought was getting stabbed to death with every single step along the way. My quads were frying fast!!! I guess you could say I wasn't completely recovered from last weekend's 30km race, so going down the 5km hill wasn't the most pleasant experience. At least the weather was decent enough.

The rest of the run was good, as I managed to truck along and maintain a 5:35/km pace, which is pretty darn good for a long run.

I am glad I did this run, as it gave me an opportunity to mentally prepare for the race that is fast approaching. I am trying to mentally prepare for dealing with the large crowds, the terrain and of course, the thrill of running the marathon. So if you have any ideas or suggestions about Boston for the marathon or any sights to see, I'm all ears!