Not a PR but a lot of fun!

I got to run with my friend Pam who was trying to qualify for Boston.  She needed a 3:55 run to qualify and finished with a 3:49.  I had paced with her for the first 20 miles and when it was clear she had a nice cushion and I was still full of energy I dropped the hammer on the last 6 miles and finished just ahead of the 3:45 pacer.

The weather was spectacular and I would recommend the Mohawk Mid Hudson run from Schenectady to Albany.  Mostly downhill and mostly on a bike path...but in October the weather was a brisk 50's and overcast.  Had there been a slight rain it would have been ideal for a PR.

I had been training for a 3:45 finish so I felt super happy with my finish.  There was only a brief point in which I started to feel a little overheated around mile 22 that I took off my shirt to cool down a bit more.  But other wise it was a strong finish and fun to share with our Albany friends.

I had started the morning with Pam and her wife Rachel and the excitement of the day was a lot of fun.  Rachel was doing her first marathon and finished at 3:57!  I'm so jealous...but really proud of them.  Often I do training runs with them and they are great training partners.

My recovery was minimal.  No pain and only slightly sore in the inner quads.  That's a great sign that I am improving technique and adjusting my fuel/hydration strategy to better fit my needs.  I changed to eating 2 sports beans at every mile marker and taking 2 salt tabs every 3 miles.  Only briefly did I get fuzzy mouth, but that went away shortly after salting and drinking a bit more.  All in all a great run and a great prep for NYC Marathon a month away.

http://www.albanyrunningexchange.org/results/myrunner.php?eid=6150&bib=1423