http://www.strava.com/activities/117024698

This run is recorded, indexed, tagged and I’ve got a few materialized views for the more problematic sections. No wrong turns today. No surprises. It’s in my mind palace.

Notables:
Temperature varied about 15 degrees during the time I was out (about 3 hours).  Started out in a light drizzle wearing a thin long sleeve zip and the OR centrifuge jacket. Stopped just before the Hawthorne bridge and took off the jacket. Stayed in the long sleeve top until the lookout at Hoyt Arboretum and made the executive call to switch shirts – peeled off the thin top (soaked) and put on just the (dry) centrifuge jacket. I had been pondering doing this for about 3 miles after I dropped down to the Burnside crossing from Pittock mansion and started seeing my breath. I was sweating quite a bit and starting to get cold, but had a few uphills so I knew I would warm up.

The highest elevation on this run is the top of Council Crest and it’s always colder. It’s so steep after crossing 26 that I shuffle/run/power walk (there are railroad tie steps) some sections and I thought I would be okay with a heavier layer and not overheat (and soak my jacket). It all worked and I didn’t overheat too much going up and I was cozy when the wind picked up on the East side and I started the long descent.

I’m finding that I’ve got a mental focus/motivation drop at about 11 miles. I think that’s my first real mental valley of a long run. On this loop at mile 11 I’ve already dropped back down into the arboretum and run some gently rolling singletrack before making a hairpin turn and running up to the lookout (just before the Zoo). It’s not a steep climb, but it’s sustained and boring and it saps my energy because I’m trying to prepare for the big up to Council Crest.

Nutrition:

• 3 gels
• 2 bottles of Cytomax

I’ve been drinking Cytomax for 15 years (heh) and I’ve found it’s the best for my stomach and I can actually find low end power when I’m starting to fade. Specifically, when I’m almost completely depleted, I can always find a little kick if I’m drinking it. There is a reason it’s been around for so long.

That’s it. Just putting time in to do the work.

Oh! And saw a few other runners, harley wave.