last long run done

by this time next week, I should hopefully be done or nearly done with the Miracle Match marathon. Today, I just now finished an 8-miler. Outside. At noonish. Do you have any idea how odd it is for me to run outside in the middle of the day? It just doesn't happen around here.
We went out last night to a comedy show in GP, and since we weren't out as late as we thought we'd be, we ended up bringing the boys home instead of leaving them overnight at Grandma's. By the time I put TDP DinoBoy to bed, switched out laundry so Elder Child would have clean hockey stuff for today, and getting ready for bed, it was closer to 11:00 than I'd hoped for. when the alarm went off at 5:30 this morning, I snoozed until nearly 6:30 before I just gave in and determined that an early morning run outside was not going to happen. Plus, I could hear the wind chimes outside the back door, and that is never a good sign.

So I had figured I could put a movie in for TDP DinoBoy and I would force myself to pound out the mileage on the treadmill while the others were at hockey. I wasn't looking forward to it, but i knew I had to get it done. When Hub came home from church at 10:30ish, he said that while it was a bit chilly out (we're in Texas -- 60 is downright frigid for us!), it was actually not too windy (BTW, that was a LIE -- winds were out of the north at ~11 mph -- felt stronger than that when you're running into it). So I laced up and headed out.

I dressed in shorts and my favorite long-sleeved tech shirt --it's the one I've worn in two of my three marathons, and will likely wear again next week -- and took my favorite route to the big park. It's three miles there, then a mile+ around the path. From there, i can take a couple of different ways home and I'm guaranteed to not fall short on the mileage. I'm not sure if it's the weather, or the extra rest I'm getting from the taper, but I astounded myself with my splits:

Mile 1 -- 10:07
Mile 2 -- 10:02
Mile 3 -- 9:56
Mile 4 -- 9:53
Mile 5 -- 9:55
Mile 6 -- 10:36
Mile 7 --10:16
Mile 8 -- 10:01

So, although I didn't have negative splits, I was very, very pleased with the speed today, both the fact that I started out faster than normal and finished strongly. No pain in the bottom of my foot like I've had here and there lately, and no knee or ankle issues. So now it's time to eat, hydrate and rest. And try to keep the taperitis to a minimum this week.