  Two posts for one cost again today. For some reason, last week was horribly busy and left little time or energy for running. I was able to get back on track, somewhat, on Saturday and Sunday. Update for 4/17/04 After working in the glorious weather most of the morning and avoiding running most of the afternoon, I took off with Paulie the roommate on a planned 30 minute run. Unfortunately, Paul's lack of running for 5 years slowed us a little, which was fine, and we ended up completing about 20 minutes at a slower pace. This was fine, I just needed to get my legs back into running. Even though it was a short, slower run, I still noticed some slight pain in my knees and shins (not shin splints but further up).
Kind of odd, but it was good to get out right at dusk like that. Update for 4/18/04 Knowing full well that I couldn't avoid running or give up just yet, I went on a 10+ mile run today through Mt. Adams and Eden Park and Cincinnati and Newport. I kind of ran anywhere and everywhere that I wanted. About midway through I got it in my head that I wanted to cover the hardest part of the marathon course (miles 6-8, up Reading and Gilbert and through Eden Park back to my house). This section lived up to my expectations in every way and I am not looking forward to it on marathon day. I fought mildly annoying cramps for the first half of my run and thirst, exhaustion, and heat the second half of my run. I had my utility belt on and sipped water throughout the run but that didn't seem to help my extreme dehydration. I also had two GUs about midway through which were good and not-so-good in that order. The GU helped tremendously though because by that time I had gone through Eden Park, Mt. Adams, and Newport and was winding through Cincinnati preparing to go up the strangely desolate Reading and Gilbert roads.
There was a surprising amount of wind gusting through Cincinnati which was both refreshing and strangely difficult in which to run. I finished by coming up through Eden Park. My body was exhausted at that point and I was barely carrying a 10 min/mile pace. All of this could have been caused by starting too fast. I probably started at a sub-9 min/mile pace which is not effective for a longer run.
I was not able to pick it up from there and really only got slower throughout the run. For the most part, my legs felt great despite the rest of my body feeling like crap. The only thing I noticed was that same strange and very mild knee pain. It was nothing that I am worried about because it subsided in the last couple miles of running and has not yet returned. 
