The long, easy effort run, is a staple workout of marathon training.  I am doing one of these runs every week right now, as I get ready for the Indianapolis Marathon in early November.  My long run this week was sixteen miles long.

Recently, I have been joining the City of Bridges Run Club for their Saturday group runs.  It is always nice to have some company on a long run, and this group is fun to run with.  They have groups that run at all different paces, and typically cover a good variety of distances each week.  With many of their members currently training for fall marathons, it has been easy for me to find a group that is running the right pace and the right distance for me.

Today’s run was no different.  I joined the 9.00 min/mile group, for a run of sixteen miles. I had fun but did get a little wet.  The remnants of Hurricane Ian was spreading bands of rain all across Western Pennsylvania, and we had no way to avoid getting wet.  Fortunately, it was not cold and there was no real wind, so all we did was get wet.

Working out in the rain isn’t all bad, as long as you don’t get cold.  While running over the Allegheny River this morning, we could see dozens of rowing crews taking part in a regatta. Just like us they were working hard in the rain, and just like us, they seemed to be having fun.

My long run next week will likely be a little shorter, as I begin to taper for my SwimRun NC race. That race week will add up to decent run mileage, because of all the running we will do in the race itself.  After that, it will a couple more weeks of high volume, before tapering for Indianapolis; my “A” race for the fall.