Real David H.

My mind is ready to do 26.2 miles again; my body needs rest.

I wrote that last year a couple of weeks before the Baltimore Marathon. It rings so true today.

My last double-digit training run of this cycle came and went without any bad happening, nor was it that great. It was just a slow long run on tired legs.

Book-ending a seven-day span with long runs — the Runner’s World Half on Sunday and 12 miles today — was tough. It’s not that I haven’t done that before, but the marathon-paced effort on Sunday finally caught up to me today.

Today’s run aside, I feel better prepared for this year’s Richmond Marathon than I have in my 3 previous marathons. With more miles at or faster than my goal pace, I’m not going out there and just seeing what happens. There’s a better plan in place for race day than usual.

All that’s left is 2 more weeks …