Long run check list

Todays plan included a long run starting at 7am, breakfast, shower, ART treatment, quick stop at Central Market and a long nap.  Got up at 5 am expecting to hear torrential rain and howling winds - NOT.  Had breakfast and turned on the TV to see how IKE was doing.  IKE was kicking Galveston's butt.  Got all my stuff together including post run clothes, TP stuff and recovery drink.  Managed to catch the cat and put her inside - I'm still thinking we are gonna get torrential rain.  Drive down to Rogue and get there with plenty of time to work my calves and stretch.  Once at Rogue I realize I don't have my purse - ie no money so I'd have to go home to have breakfast after the run and then drive back into town.  Following Karen's directions, I find David and Jason and we get started on the long run.  Within 1/2 a mile I realized that I would kill myself if I tried to hang with them the whole way.  Not a new story for me...this is the story of my life.  I take a long time to get going and do better if I start really slow.  David and Jason are young so they can leave the barn flying.  My quads were a little grumpy too - I assume from the strides on Thurs where I was trying to change my running form a little.  At mile 3 I let them go.  By mile 4.5 I felt my legs kick in finally and then cruised along pretty easily.  Ended up running with a few guys in the regular Austin Marathon program.  One guy was working kind of hard and I figure we were running around 8:30/mile.  I asked him what his MGP was and he said he hoped to run a 4 hour marathon - at this rate he is gonna be running the marathon in the pool in between PT sessions.  I suggested he might slow down a bit.  He said he was doing a tempo portion - this was the 2nd "long" run of the program.   Hmmm.

Anyway I finished up the 10 mile portion and then added on 2 more miles and 5 strides.

Summery of run:

12 miles  - 1:41:38

Average pace - 8:28

Mile 1 - 8:47

         2 - 8:11

         3 - 8:33

         4 - 8:51

         5 - 8:34

         6 - 8.33

         7 - 8:29

         8 - 8:08

         9 - 8:41

        10- 7:45 (WTF???)

        11- 8:32

        12-8:35

Overall I feel pretty good about the run - I'll be ready for my nap when that comes up!  I'm tired.  By the way...found my purse on my porch.  I'd lose my head if it wasn't attached.