Yay hills!
Actually, I shouldn't joke, that's on the schedule for Thursday.
I got my long run in, and it was both a really good learning experience and one of the weirdest runs I've ever run.
They always say to try things out and play around/experiment w/ new things before race day and they couldn't be more right. A few weeks ago, NYRR had a 1/2 off sale on all training gear so I bought a "Training for NYC '13" shirt that I would use for my long runs. It's an Asics shirt and a running shirt, so I thought it would be great. Unfortunately, for some reason, it is not breathable to me at all; I was so hot a mile in I was actually pulling the head hole out a little bit for some air. And I could actually feel my face getting red. The one good thing was that on the way back there was a slight head wind so I was able to cool off a little.
But the good thing was that while I was trying to not concentrate on being hot, I was really trying to focus on my body and form. I really have to work on keeping my shoulders down and my head up. I've always had that problem in the past and the mornings after a race my neck and shoulders are always tight. I also noticed that my back was getting a little tight towards the end of the run. I've been doing a couple of lower back machines at the gym during strength training, but I think I have to add supermans back into the mix. Legs are okay, they were good during the run, but a little tight right now, so I have to roll them out a bit.
It was also one of the weirdest runs I've ever had too. There was a guy who passed me on my way back. We were about .1 away from the expressway and I know he didn't make the light. However, when I got to the light, he was gone!!! He wasn't on the other side of the light, on the expressway (there's a small paved part), or in the parking lot of the shopping center on the other side of the expressway. He disappeared! I know I wasn't hallucinating, b/c he said "Good morning" to me and I said it back; it was just weird.
Then about 1/2 mile up from that, I saw a biker coming at me on the road, bright lime jacket and blue helmet just like my dad. As he rode by me, I was looking at him and he looked exactly like my dad; I really thought it was him. I realized a few minutes later it wasn't him b/c the guy was on a mountain bike and not a road bike like my dad would've been had it been him. It was just a crazy few miles at the end of my run.
I also stopped by the Sports Basement today for some supplies, and they had a new gu flavor!!
It's salted caramel. Mmmmm... Only thing was that they were only selling it in the small boxes, so I had to get 8 of them, hope they're good. I'll let you know when I try it out next weekend.