Ipswich Path Workout

Time: 81:30
Distance: 21.45k

W/u: 25:07 for 5.10k
W/o: 13k (~8 miles) at 6:05-6:10
C/d: 16:14 for 3.35k

The goal this morning was for Meagan to run 8 miles at just off goal marathon pace. I wanted to make the pace something she could accomplish given the fact we just spent the last two days driving from NC to MA. This was also an early morning effort as we left the house around 6:00 AM and one of the first cold mornings on the North Shore. We didn't have a lot working in our favor, but it's time to start really getting Meagan fit for the Trials in January.

After a good warm up showing Meagan the first part of the trail and not knowing how far it would actually go in one direction (I was hoping for at least 7k out), we returned to the car and shed our layers. I set the early tempo and tried to keep the pace as even as possible. There were several street crossings from 2k to 4.5k when the path just stopped near a neighborhood. We turned and I knew that we would be at 9k total. We had seen a section across from where we parked, but never actually ran on it. The final 4k when Meagan was looking and sounding good, was much tougher due to the slight uphill and cross-country like surface. She definitely ran strong and I was pleased given the conditions and how she handled the less than ideal street crossings and terrain.

Splits:
3:51.1, 3:53.1, 3:52.2, 3:55.5, 3:50.1, 3:46.2, 3:52.9,
3:51.8, 3:52.0, 3:48.8, 3:57.7, 3:50.8, 3:45.1 for 50:09 and 13.01k (3:51 average)