October is done and so am I. Stick a fork in me. I’m so glad it’s over.

This was a tough month, but I’m finishing it off with the highest monthly mileage for the year; 258 miles. And most miles were at a fast pace. I also lost 5 pounds in the process without intending to.

I’m happy I was able to complete all of the four long runs that I planned at marathon pace. The first was tough, but the second was much worse. I was going to bail and go easy on the third, but decided when I saw what my pace was after the first few miles that I would try to hold it. It was torture by the time I was done.

The last one was somewhat easier, and it was for 22 miles. The pace was as fast as the others, 7:00. There were a few things different about this though. For starters, I intentionally began by running slower than the pace I ended. Plus, I ran this on a different route, and listened to a different playlist on my iPod. Just the thought of starting out on the same route as the other three times made me cringe in fear

I know this type of training is somewhat unorthodox. But, I’ve always been the guy to go against conventional wisdom or say the things that go against the grain. It doesn’t make sense to me how you can expect to race at a pace for a certain distance if you don’t train at that pace over a comparable distance.

Now the insanity starts as I begin my taper. The first week or two will actually be nice. I need a break. But, I know by the last week I’ll begin to feel I’m losing all the fitness I’ve worked so hard for.

I’m curious how this will all turn out. I’ve done enough of these marathons now to know that bombing on race day will be meaningless in the big scheme of things. This season’s training will just add to the next no matter what happens on November 21st.

I might go out with a gamble in mind in terms of effort. If I hit a goal, great! If not, I’ll get the PR next time.

Oh yeah, Happy Halloween. Hopefully, I can now start posting about stuff other than my training.