270 Min Run (push) --161.5--

LOS FELIZ/SILVER LAKE/GRIFFITH PARK -- Put in somewhere between 26.5 and 28.5. Did the 8-day-to-marathon plan, which I threw together in a super professional manner. The idea to run big run distance for no reason hit me around July and reading "Born to Run". So hat tip to that book and the author. Combined with the past three years of dramatically improved form, it was possible to do this without destroying every joint and tendon in my body. Nice.

Anywho, like a week back, it hit me to tie up March with a bad boy. And that it was. In the parlance of the LTLFM (Lazy Thursday Los Feliz Marathon), you do a base Dragon loop, then another Dragon with the addition of the Griffith Park hilltopper...the Snap Dragon loop, if you will. Hilly as all hell. Getting progressively hotter as time goes on. Four blessed "aid station" stops at the Pontiac Vibe water/almonds/shirts storage out in front of the building. And then, at Mile 22-23-24ish, you finish with a 1,000+ ft climb. And sister, it gets hot up there.



A few notes:

--Started late. Wanted to get out around 6 a.m., but ended up starting around 7:30a because of going to bed at 2 am getting some writing done.
--This was the hottest day of 2011. Bookended for a week on either side by mid-60s, this day was in the upper 80s. Crazy sun. Crazy heat. By the end, which was around noon, I was blowing through 16 oz waters every 10 mins.




--Took some good replenish time on the last aid station stop. And was good about getting good amounts of salted almonds down throughout the run.
--Absolutely drilled the sidewalk at about Mile 13 on Los Feliz Blvd. Lady with stroller ahead, I took a minute to think about passing and caught a sidewalk sniper. Totally smashed right knee and was lucky not to shred hands. Shouted profanity. Picked up pieces and leaked some oil. Sweat seemed to kind of cauterize the thing. Finished up with no local discomfort. Just general discomfort.
--Effing awesome