Training in Montana

4 miles at lunchtime in 84+F heat. Pretty warm, but I'm more used to it now than I was a few weeks ago. I felt pretty tired, and I just now realized that after the 50K I switched from a 5 day a week plan to a 6 day a week plan. That extra rest day is pretty big and may be why I'm really looking forward to this training cycle being over, and right now my mind set is that I'm done training for a while. Before I was planning on a fall marathon but right now I'd rather not. That may change, but that's what I'm thinking now. My legs are tired.

Ran the last two miles of the Billings marathon, and it's also the same route as this Friday's evening 5K. The forecast is calling for a high of 90, which could be much worse on July 19th. It's a tough course and starts at 6 PM in the middle of summer so I'm hoping for a PR, but not very confident. It's an out and back course. From the start, after 1/4 mile you go up a short steep hill, then after 1/2 mile go up another short small hill, then it's a small rise until the turn around. Add in the heat and it will be rough. Just before the turnaround the fire department will be there with a hose spraying the runners, so that will be nice. I'm already looking forward to it. The coolest part is at the end. You get to cruise down the short steep hill and gain momentum for a 1/2 mile flat cruise which takes you to the stadium, where you run 300M around the track to the finish. This is part of the opening ceremonies for the Big Sky State Games, so there will be 1000 or so people there. Pretty cool. And Meb Keflezghi is our honored athlete that night and will light the flame. Really, really cool. Can't wait.