The Long Run is the Slow Run

Although I have run several 10- and 12-mile runs this year, this was the "official" first long run in my marathon-training plan, Week No. 1, and it called for 10 miles.  I had recovered from the 10-mile hike last weekend and felt pretty good Saturday, but when I met up with the rest of the group they were all going so fast!  It was tempting to go with them all (the ones that I could have gone with, anyway) but all of the experts say that the long run should be run at least one minute slower than your marathon goal pace - some say as much as two minutes per mile slower - and so that would be a maximum 10:30 pace for me, at my age, trying to set a time goal in December. 

There were many runners in our club who were going a lot shorter distance than I was who wanted to run faster, but I have learned that it is best to slow down and run with whoever is at the very back of the pack, no matter how much banter about "Richard Pace" goes on.  Ego has no place in marathon training; the idea is to plan your run and run your plan, and not to be tempted into running faster or longer than you should.

So as I was coming down Chestnut Street, feeling a little frustrated and watching one of our runners steadily stretching out the distance in front of me, as I was getting left behind, I suddenly noticed this remarkable sign by the side of the road, no doubt placed there by area residents trying to slow down traffic:

Exactly what I needed to see at exactly the right time!  Thanks be to God in all things!