A New Love + Marathon Pace Run

I've recently gotten in to audiobooks.  This is kind of a big deal for me.  I've always thought audiobooks were kind of... [whispers] cheating.  Don't get me wrong, an audiobook is so.much.better than no book at all, but since I'm a pretty crazy fast reader, there was never really a reason to pick up an audiobook instead of a book.

I remember back when I was in college and my brother called me asking for some book recommendations.  After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I rattled off some titles I thought he'd enjoy, likely The DaVinci Code as I'd just recently devoured it.  You see, my brother, six years my senior, was the awesome athlete of the family.  I was the brain.  We both dabbled in each other's specialty, he'd destroy some Jeopardy! categories, and I'd make All-Conference honors for volleyball, but for the most part we knew our rolls.  So when he asked me this question I got super excited!

ZOMGICANDISCUSSBOOKSWITHMYBROTHERTHISISTHEGREATESTDAYOFMYLIFE!


Turns out, with his new job, he was on the road a lot, and he found that audiobooks helped him pass the time.  Yay brother.

Fast forward to me, or rather just bring the attention back to me [me me me!].  I picked up an audiobook from the library a couple of weeks back just to see if it'd be possible to listen to it at work.  Outside of the attrocious acting in the audiobook, it was kind of awesome.  I liked it so much that I continued to listen on my short commute home.  And then kept listening while I was cleaning my apartment when I got home.  And even loaded it to my iPod shuffle for my long run.  By then the annoying accents and ooooemmmmmgeeeeeeee-ness of the book were more tolerable and I was really enjoying myself!

Since then I've finished two other books and have a few more on hold at the library.  If you're interested in trying, I would recommend a pretty "light and/or fluffy" read because I find it hard to be stopped in the middle of something I'm intently concentrating on.  Also, for running, I think it'd be better for easy runs/general aerobic runs/parts of long runs.  When you're really concentrating on your pace/form/whatevs it's pretty hard to follow the book too.

Look at me combining all my loves in to one thing.  Last year I discovered reading books on the treadmill.  This year I take my books in my ears on my long runs.  Next year I'll probably have a chip implanted in my head so I can read the book in front of my face but still view the running paths beyond that.

Crap. That's an amazing idea!!  BRB, heading to the patent office asap!
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This weekend I tackled my first long run with miles at marathon pace.  Naturally we got dumped on with snow, and were under a wind advisory, so gym it was.  I hate running on the treadmill.  But I also know that attempting to run fast on loose slow would've equated to about 10:30 minute miles.  Not exactly MP.  I had 13 miles to do with 8 at marathon pace.

Essentially I convinced my brain I had a 5 mile GA run and then an 8 mile MP run so I didn't lose my sanity.  Jeopardy came on shortly after my MP miles got going, and while I can't do math while I run, I can still run some Jeopardy categories.  Good to know.

Finished 13.1 miles in 2:00:21.  Marathon pace miles were:

6. 9:04 7. 9:05 8. 9:05 9. 8:56 10. 8:57 11. 8:56 12. 8:51 13. 8:42 .1 :50 Averaging 8:57 pace.  Whoot! And of course my IT bands are pissy now. :)