Friday Links

1.  New article about Alberto Salazar, the Oregon Project and doping in the NY Times

2.  I love the rise above challenge articles and this one about the first amputee to scale Everest is great.  Bonus - he's from Wisconsin!

3.  It's no secret that I am a Oiselle fan but their new collection is one of my all-time faves.  I need that Be Brave Get Ugly tank!  The story behind the designs resulted in my writing down the following motivational quote:

"Bravery is an entirely different notion of strength.  First, it is the willingness to push one’s mind and body to a place it may have never gone. To the edges of ability. To reach out and feel those edges, and even push them further afield."

4. If I knew teenage female runners, I would share this letter from Lauren Fleshman.

5.  More motivation for you - What does it mean to be "strong"?

6.  I really enjoyed following the journey of Ani Weiss and her attempt at the fastest known time to complete the Ice Age Trail via Brian Frian's blog.  Unfortunately she had to cut the attempt short but she will be back.

Friday Links

I hope you had a great week!  My week started strong but went downhill as I am recovering from a cold/sinus/allergy thing.  Better feeling under the weather now than in 27 days!

Did you watch the Boston Marathon?  I did!  It's magical.  I was obsessed with the race again this year and could not believe how hot it was!  I thought for sure after last year's heat, the race was due for a cold spell.  Once again there are many people crushed that the end result did not reflect all the hard training they put in.  Been there.  It's rough.   You know who didn't have a bad day? Jordan Hasay.  WOW.   Did you see the video of the man with the prosthetic leg carrying a woman across the finish?  It brought tears to my eyes...and then I read her recap.

Tuesday night I went to a nutrition clinic featuring Annie Weiss, so naturally, I'm now loving getting caught up on her blog.

The London Marathon is this weekend.  I will be cheering for Kellyn Taylor!

10 tiny tweaks that will change your life from one of my favorites, Laura VanderKam

(Lots of) Friday Links!

The Boston Marathon is Monday!!!!!!  Seeing all the social media buzz definitely has led me to have some "wish I was running it" thoughts, but I still maintain that I made a good decision in opting not to run it this year.  Now if only I could figure out how to get my free stocks from the Strava pop-up in Boston for completing the Runners World Boston Marathon challenge on Strava, because let's face it, part of my FOMO is missing the expo and pop-up shop giveaways and product testing!! LOVE IT!

Speaking of mileage - my April mileage total right now is 98.64.  April last year was 99.03 FOR THE WHOLE MONTH!  

Ok, let's get to the links. 

1.  I will be watching the Boston Marathon on Monday and cheering for Desi!  So many links about her this week:

CitiusMag.com This was my fave

Salty Running

Sports Illustrated (Admittedly, I haven't read this one yet)

Womens Running

2.  Speaking of Boston, if you are on Instagram, go to @adidaswomen for a really cool swipe left profile on Katherine Switzer recalling her iconic race

3. The Silly Story of the First Boston Marathon

4.  Kara Goucher fans, two links for you!

Carrie Tollefson interviews Kara for her podcast

Kara writes about getting a medal upgrade.

5.  Women Runtrepreneurs: Jill Deering of rabbit

I'm trying a few new things this marathon training cycle - new training program (Hansons Marathon Method) and intentionally focusing on mental aspects of running so the new few articles were right up my alley.

6.  That Voice Inside Your Head Will Make You A Better Runner (Outside Magazine)

7.  Turning Negative Thinkers into Positive Ones

8. Mindfulness and Running: Even Easy Runs Deserve some Attention

One big thing that I have come around to during the last few weeks is the importance of the easy runs on my mental health.  I think this is why I like HMM so much - I still get my competitive side flared up for 3 workouts, where I have to be thinking about pace, but not ALL of my workouts are pace focused.  I have 3 runs a week that I can run as slow as I want to and in fact, should be running slower.  This is so freeing to me and has decreased some of my anxiety I had about marathon training in the past.  

Friday Links

Most of my reading this week was re-reading sections of Hanson's Marathon Method to reassure myself on all things pace-related but I snuck in a few articles:

1. Kara Goucher's Latest Interview or at least I thought so until Friday afternoon when i saw this one!

2. How Our Total Average Runner Broke the 5:00 mile

3. Foam Roller Core Workout

4. Tina Muir's Guide to Battling Running Demons and Running Slower, Get Faster

Enjoy the weekend!  I am going to try to get my last two runs in AND attend my future sister-in-law's bachelorette party.  Sunday's run may not be pretty!

Friday Links

I have missed some Friday Links of late.  Here is my attempt at catching up!

1. I mentioned the #BirdStrike on this blog.  I loved following it.  Here is one of the recaps.  And here is Devon Yanko's beautiful vulnerable post about it.

2. When bloggers you follow absolutely crush a race.  Congrats Elizabeth!

3. How To Run by Lauren Fleshman

4. I followed a dedicated sleep schedule for a month: Here's what happened.  I've posted some about my struggle with sleep lately.  My husband got me this for my birthday.  I am hoping to set it up over the weekend.

5.  Marathon Race Strategy:  A Few Thoughts

6. Manage your Energy, Not Your Time

Friday Links!

I am hours away from hopping on a plane for our annual family vacation to FL.  Half of my suitcase is running clothes.  Part of our vacation will be onboard a ship...the same part where I am scheduled to run 10 miles.  Things will be interesting in my week 7 mileage recap for sure!

Here are a few things I read this week:

1. Molly Huddle's NYC Marathon Recap

2.  How to Run 100 Miles
I'm not really interested in the ultra running scene, as I already feel the marathon presents me with more challenges than I can sometimes handle, but there are some great takeaways in this blog post, particularly if you, like me, are trying to get over all of the mental hurdles in long distance running.
"Step one to running 100 miles is becoming 100% comfortable with the uncomfortable realities of failure."

3. More treadmill tricks from Salty Running
I haven't set foot on our treadmill in quite a while due to our glorious bout of weather we have been having, but I am always a fan of the "push all the buttons" method of getting through a treadmill run!

Enjoy your weekend!  I am going to try getting my week 6 training recap up on Monday as usual, but you may be waiting an additional week.  I know. It's killing you! ;)

Friday Links!

It's been a while since I have posted some Friday Links!  Today's links are all about the DREADMILL!

I will admit that I am not a fan of treadmill running; however, I have come to see it as a way that makes it way easier to achieve a goal:  To get a run in.

We took the plunge and purchased a treadmill earlier this year.  I have used it several times when it was too dark/late to run outside.  Better yet, my husband, who is not a "runner", has used it several times to get some physical activity in.  I have come to appreciate the treadmill for giving me the ability to be able to consider running 5-6 days a week a reality and not a pipe dream.

That said...our weather forecast for the upcoming week looks INCREDIBLE!  We are talking temps in the 40s and 50s!!!!  I cannot wait.

1.  Treadmill tip of the week: How to Calibrate Your Treadmill
(For the record, I have not done this.)

2.  Another Salty Treadmill tip of the week:  How to teach yourself to pace

3. Don't Be Fooled: Treadmills are Miserable

4.  From the Treadmill to the Western States 100

Through their morning newsletter, Runner's World asking people to comment on treadmills.  Here were my two favorites:

At least for me, yeah, it sucks. But when I hear people say “Oh, I NEVER run on a treadmill,” I can’t help but feel like it comes from a place of privilege. I’m a female who works full time, and I often run after dark, alone. To feel safe, going to the gym and running on the treadmill is often my only option. And I love running more than I hate the treadmill. 
—Jenise Anderson

My goal is to run, and if running inside lets me stay healthy, I’ll do it. To me, that’s the exact opposite of not valuing running for running’s sake. 
—Jennie Coughlin

Friday Links!

What a week, which is culminating in me having another bout of sinus/cough and laryngitis.  FUN!  I am looking forward to running in a 4-woman team for the Icebreaker Indoor Marathon Relay tomorrow.  Last year, my team won the women's division! I'm hoping to repeat this year.

Here are some links:

1. Here's What A Former Running Prodigy Has to Say to the Haters
Lesson: Be Kind.

2. Vaulting Over Fear
I'm still working on my "mommy neutral face" in regards to parenting

3. Athletes for Yoga: Alysia Montano
Includes a code for a free month of JasYoga!!

4.  I just signed up for the Women Who Fly sweepstakes put on my Hoka One One.  They have 4 "tracks" with 4 elite "coaches". I signed up for the marathon and my mentor is Magdalena Boulet! I followed Magda on social media after listening to the ROO interview with her.

Sweepstakes implies contest right? I love this contest because just for entering you get training tips from the mentor and the grand prize is a weekend trip to Santa Barbara to "train, eat and hang out with the 4 women".  Um...yes please!

Enjoy your weekend!

Friday Links!

1.  Love Oiselle's Destroy // Create campaign

2.  Kate Grace is moving on!

3. Kara Goucher on Meditation & Yoga

4.  Working on Pumping my Calves - I don't know if it is due to the weather, some biomechanical imbalance, or what, but my calves cannot loosen up. ARGH! 

5.  Bookmarking this link (Build Mental Strength on the 'Mill) for Wednesday when my treadmill arrives!!!!

6.  This motivational trick

7. How I got my attention back 

Friday Links: Happy New Year!

I am a sucker for New Year motivational quotes, posts, and articles.  You have been warned.

My motivation lately has been more "meh" than "yay".  Here are some reads and sees (videos) in case you ever find yourself in the same place.

1. Get on the treadmill, Bertha

2. A mantra for every runner

3. 5 Fun Challenges to Improve the Running Mind

I have started some of these this week, namely the "inappropriately dressed challenge" but not on purpose.  We again have had crazy winds combined with low temperatures which has entered us into the negative zone.  I went running two days in a row in negative temps and the first day I didn't layer enough on top; the second day, not enough on the bottom.  It was an interesting exercise in mindset because I surpassed my expectation both days - logging 5 miles the first day and 3.7 the second (I was not even ready to be done, but alas! the bus came.)  I look forward to trying more of these during marathon training.

4. Be a Girl Who Runs

5.  Learning to Ask

6. Have you seen this Adidas commercial done by a German student? Brought tears to my eyes!

7. Start Off Strong

8.  Athleta just launched four Power of She videos.

Happy New Year!

My Answers to Three Questions to Ask Yourself Before the New Year

This week's Friday Links pointed to the article outlining three questions to ask yourself before the new year.  Here goes!

1.  What were my three favorite athletic moments of 2016?

First, running the PNC Milwaukee Half Marathon.  It was a textbook great race for me and culminated in shaving over 4 minutes off my half-marathon PR AND my first half under 1:30! Hands down my favorite race of 2016.  I was proud of pushing through pain for the last few miles of this and not backing off the pace.

Second, FINALLY breaking 19:00 in the 5K at Run Tosa Run.  I loved the competition of this race. Without the woman who finished second, I don't know that I would have ran this as fast as I did.

Third, my sometimes training partner Bettina and I had the most amazing 22 mile run leading up to the Boston Marathon.   You can read about it at the end of this post.

2.  What were my challenges this year?

Same challenge I always have - staying consistent.  I think I made a lot of progress with this but December was a hot mess.

I also was challenged with a stress reaction in my metatarsal which threw off my 5K training for summer.

My biggest challenge that I started working on is mindset.  The biggest example of this was the Boston Marathon where I physically felt off from the beginning and let my mind get sucked down as well.  In several other races, I gave up or backed off when the onset of pain came.

3. What inspires me now?  Write down three goals for 2017.

First, I want to PR in the marathon.

Second, I want to challenge myself with something new.  To that end, I have signed up for a duathlon in July 2017.  (Run 2 miles, bike 14.7 miles, run 2 miles.)

Third, I want to incorporate more yoga and meditation into my routine.  I read A LOT about meditation in 2016.  This started as a task for work.  I was reading medical literature about health impact of meditation/mindfulness.  That lead to a colleague and I taking a 6 week course in mindfulness, offered by my employer.  That lead to me reading a few books on meditation:

10% Happier
Do Your Om Thing

I took a yoga for runners course earlier this year and played with some yoga out of the Hit Reset book. I took the plunge and subscribed to JasYoga (due to a free month code we were sent via Oiselle).

Last Friday Links of 2016!

One more day of 2016 left!  Today's links are a compilation of looking back on 2016!

1.  "2016 is almost over.  It's not too late to pick out a special present for yourself.  It's not too late to get off the fence if there are things you have wanted to do or say but have held back or played small.   Do it. Say no to fear, hesitation, and indecision and say yes to your life." ~ Kristin Armstrong, Mile Markers for Runner's Word, Getting Off the Fence

2. It's no secret that Sally Bergesen is one woman I want to be when I grow up.  I enjoyed her Thank You 2016 post.

3.  Coach Jenny has 3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before the New Year.  My answers are coming up!

Friday Links!

Last week I missed Friday Links so some of these are "old news" by now.

1. Nike and Adidas are working on assembling teams to run a sub 2 hour marathon.  I am most interested in reading on the author of the first article (Nike hyperlink) will do with his own self-experiment to break 90 minutes in the half.

2. Recovering from an injury SUCKS.  We all know this.  Devon Yanko's best laid plans and On the 11th Day of Christmas Running Gave Me the Patience of a Saint

3. Tina Muir's CIM recap.  What struck me about this is the LONG LIST of people she thanks.  I think Tina does a great job of giving insight into the life of a pro runner.

4. Running as a Thinking Person's Sport

5.  Winter Running Hacks - some of these are new to me! yay!

6.  In a similar vein, Ten Commandments of Winter Running

7. I am also considering taking a roll of duct tape to a pair of running shoes this winter to prevent cold, wet toes - @mittenrunner on instagram did it with decorative duct tape and they look SO CUTE.


Merry Everything, whatever you celebrate.  I am looking forward to Christmas with my family celebrated multiple times over the next few days and hopefully squeezing some running in :)

Friday Links

Most of my running-related reading this week took place in book form:

1.  Mile Markers

I started this book in 2011.  I had it on my nightstand to pick up from time to time.  I finished it this week!  I really love this book and likely will still read it from time to time.  Note: This is a compilation of Kristin Armstrong's early blog posts from her Runner's World blog of the same name.

2.  Hanson's Marathon Method

I have been increasingly intrigued by this method over the course of 2016.  I am thinking about putting it to the test in 2017.  More on this in a later post.  (Of course if you have experience with this method, please share!)

Here are some links I read and enjoyed this week:

1. Fit is not Frazzled

2. Pain Tolerance in Sport

3. Now What?

And not running-related but as a HUGE Babysitters Club Series fan during my youth, I had to share:

4. The Feminist Legacy of The Babysitters Club

Friday Links...On Self-Doubt

Woohoo!!!  It's Friday.  IT HAS BEEN A WEEK.  And it will be another few days.  I will be able to breathe again on Tuesday.  Just get to Tuesday...Just get to Tuesday.

Here are some links.  Crush that Self-Doubt!!

We Have to Believe - Tina Muir

Kyleanne's Guide to Speaking Out 

How a Triathlon Helped America Ferrera Defy Her Inner Critic

On Disappointment and Trust in Running and in Life

California International Marathon is this weekend!  Good luck to all who are running.  Including Steph Bruce.

Friday Links!

This week I joined and started following the Another Mother Runner Stride Through the Holidays plan for Heart Strides.  AND WOW.  I am sore.  Not from the running - no, running is the easy part.  It is the cross-training workouts that I always say I want to do but then never do them.  This week, I did a strength circuit (twice!) with things like burpees, Russian twists and other intimidating names, AND 30 minutes of yoga targeting my hamstrings.  And I am still feeling it. I am hoping that by the end of the 5 week plan, I will be more consistent about incorporating these beneficial workouts into my weeks.

Now the links. 

How A Step Back Was the Way Forward

Love Sarah Mac.  And my main takeaway from this article (and learning lesson from this past week) is that it might be worth dialing back on miles/running days to incorporate these workouts that I always want to get in, but then never do.  I also have learned that I need to be intentional about non-running workouts.  Having a running plan helps me stay on track with getting running in so it should come as no surprise that having a plan for things like yoga and strength training might also be helpful.  (DUH.)

Runners Try: Jasyoga

I first heard about Jasyoga from Oiselle.  I bought the Hit Reset book, which I (and my daughter) like.  Having the book was not really helping me incorporate yoga in a more consistent way so I have considered purchasing a Jasyoga subscription to have access to the videos.  I have had some hesitation in doing so because I own yoga DVDs and still...I do not do yoga regularly.  I liked that Oiselle has some free Jasyoga videos hosted on their blog so that I could try them out before taking the subscription plunge.  I really liked the hamstring workout.  It was hard for me (hello! tight hamstrings) but I could feel (and am still feeling) a difference after doing it.  All I want for Christmas is a Jasyoga subscription! 

8 Ways to Become a Morning Runner

Morning running is where it is at!  The quotes in this article are spot on.  It hurt a bit to get out of bed this morning.  The hubs and I went to a neighborhood social where I had 2 glasses of wine and because I am getting old, that was enough to make me feel not so great this morning. It was time to Woman Up! so...at 5:06 AM, I slid out of bed, scrolled through my Instagram feed for motivation, and got out there to slog (and I mean SLOG) through a 30 minute run.

What Does Sub-Elite Mean and Race Offerings for Sub-Elites

I have heard this term ("sub-elite") and didn't know what it meant.  Thank you Salty Running for this series.  And...some of those half-marathon sub-elite times are NOT too scary to me. I loved my recent half-marathon experience and it was not an easy race...and yet, it wasn't god awful.  I have room to push there. (2017 goal?!)  

Have a great weekend!

Friday Links!

It's FRI-YAY! Extra YAY as I am with some girlfriends in Cape Cod (well, I wrote this yesterday in anticipation that I would be in Cape Cod).  Looking forward to running my long run on part of the Falmouth Road Race course tomorrow!

Here are this week's links:

Secrets to Success: Dynamic Warm Up
Do you do anything like this?  I would like to start.

Fertility and False Choices
I am a big Laura Vanderkam fan, particularly of her blog, although I have read her books. I can always gain some insight/wisdom of how to make time for things from reading her work.  Her comments about "work/life balance" in this post resonated with me.

New Season, New Goals
"When I was training for Twin Cities last year, I learned there is an unbelievable amount of magic in utter belief, and when training for the Trials I learned that you can do everything perfectly for 4 months, and it might not matter.  Even though that sounds like a crappy lesson to have learned, it's actually kind of liberating."

When I read that, I thought of my Boston 2016.  She's totally right.  It is a crappy lesson and all these months later, I do feel liberated by it.  I don't need to put all this pressure on myself to have good races!

What Do You Like About Yourself?
I like that I keep showing up, dark morning after dark morning.  I like that this year, I have consistently reflected on running and have grown from that practice.  I like that I can run fast when I am not afraid.

September Mileage Recap + Friday Links!

I'm so tired, I mistakenly ran on a rest day.  HA!  True story.

My alarm went off this morning at 5 and I hazily thought, "I'm going to sleep in today."  Then my mind got going and I was like, "I can't skip today or I won't hit 5 days this week!"

So out of bed I popped.

Once I was fully awake, I realized that today was my 4th day running this week.  I have a race tomorrow and a long run Sunday which puts me on track to run SIX days this week! WOAH NELLY!

Today is also the last day of September which means it's time for a monthly mileage check-in.

September Mileage Total: 96.1

This is 41.03% MORE miles than September of last year!!!! After 3 months of falling short of my 2015 mileage, I am back on the positive side!  I also hit the 900 miles mark for year-to-date mileage this month, putting me 138.53 miles ahead of last year at this time!  Celebrate good times, COME ON!  (Sorry if you have that song stuck in your head for the rest of the day!)

Friday Links!

I read a lot of stuff this week...and I didn't keep track of the links as I usually do. DAMN!  Here is a sprinkling of what I read and what I was inspired by this week.  TGIF!

25 Famous Women on Overcoming Rejection

The Real Running Photoshoot
I love the new Oiselle #realrunning campaign!  Search the hashtag on Instagram!

Steph Bruce's Long Awaited Return to the Marathon
"The marathon is like a machine. It doesn’t give, it doesn’t break. You have to beat the marathon, and in order to do that you have to stand in front of it and say you’re willing to go through a lot of pain to achieve your goals."

Mile Markers: Choosing Your Hat
Kristin Armstrong always has powerful words, in my opinion.

Friday Links: Wake Up Early: How You Can Do It

This has been A WEEK.

I have not gotten a full night's sleep all week.  For Real.  Last night before going to bed, I prayed to the gods and heavens above that neither of my children would wake up in the middle of the night as seems to be our current routine.  Turns out none of the gods or heavens like me - at 2:30 my son was awake.

Despite the fact that my eye is twitching (does that happen to anyone else when you are tired?!), I haven't missed a run yet!  I ran 4 of the 5 days so far this week.

I missed 2 of the 4 early morning alarms because I was so tired.  Luckily my afternoons this week have been dedicated to a SAS training, and two of the afternoons we were done early so I could sneak my run in during that suddenly free time. PHEW.  I took Thursday as a day off this week, which was much needed. Which left this morning, when I forced myself to get out of bed.

I still struggle with the early morning run, but it has been getting easier.  I agree with many of the tips in this week's Friday Link:  Wake Up Early: How You Can Do It.

I started trying to ease into morning runs by wearing my running clothes to bed.  While this proved useful to getting out of bed and going, it wasn't very comfortable, mainly due to the compressive sports bra.  As long as I set out EVERYTHING I will need for a run the night before, in convenient spaces, I have been doing ok.

The routine that has been working for me is:

5:00 Wake Up Alarm/stretch in bed and say mantras like nobody's business to motivate myself to not go back to bed

5:05 Get out of bed.  Stumble into bathroom and turn on shower light so as not to wake husband.  Put contacts in, change in running clothes that I have laid out night before, go downstairs.

5:10 Turn on porch light.  Go into kitchen and turn on a bunch of lights.  Get water bottle out and fill with water + 1 Nuun for after run.  Check phone to scroll through Instagram for more motivation.  Grab knucklights and watch which I also put out the night before.  Go back to front door and put on shoes which I set by door the night before.

5:15 Get out of the house and run loops around my neighborhood.  1 loop ~ 1.15 miles

5:50-6 (Depending on how far I had to go) Return back to house, grab water bottle of Nuun and RxBar, sit out on front porch admiring the quiet for a bit (unless I hear that the kids are awake, which then I usually go up and greet them).

6-6:45 Shower, dress, makeup, hair for myself.  Help kids get dressed, hair, teeth.  Breakfast for kids, make lunches for myself + kids and breakfast for myself which I take to work and eat.

6:45-7:00 Commute to work (Hubs finishes up with breakfast with kids and transports them to school & daycare)

One of the ways that I have been able to motivate myself to do morning runs is that I feel more calm during our night routine if I don't have to run after kids are in bed.  I am not nearly as annoyed with them for DRAAAAAGING out bed time if I am not itching to get out the door at 7 PM stat.  Also, I get to enjoy some time with my husband (usually watching tv) every night when I run in the morning. I think these more relaxed evenings are the biggest motivator for me embracing the morning routine.

I try to get to bed between 9/9:30 to accommodate waking up an hour before I was used to, but that doesn't always happen.  Usually I figure, if I get to sleep through the night, I am getting 7 - 7.5 hours a sleep on a week night.  I do not get up at 5 on weekends which grabs me an extra hour or so of sleep on Saturdays and Sundays.

So that's my trying-to-be-habitual-morning routine!  Anyone else an early bird?

Friday Link: Easy on Easy Days

FRI-YAY!

Yesterday, I read this post on Salty Running: When It Comes to Running, What Is Easy?

I definitely do not take it "easy" on my "easy" days.  I think it has a lot to do with anxiety I feel to get the run done, mostly because I am fitting runs into small windows of time.  With the start of school, my day has much more structure in place in terms of logistics of picking my kids up at the end of the day, getting to work by 7 so that I can leave at 3 to get kids.  Thus, I am trying to get my week day runs done in the early morning, prior to work.  I also like to sleep.  So I have calculated that if I set my alarm at 5, I can be back, shower, help get kids ready, lunches, etc before I am out the door to get to the office.  Phew.  Just typing that made me anxious.

Today I had an "easy" 4 miler on my schedule and I tried so hard to go easy easy easy.  According to the article, my "easy" pace could be anywhere in the 1:30 - 3:00 slower than my 5K pace.  My last 5K pace was 6:18 so that leaves me with a 7:48 - 9:18 window.

I got up at 5 and thus was in the dark, save for my knucklelights and neighborhood lighting, chugging along.  In addition to the aforementioned anxiety of having enough time, it is hard for me to fully relax during an early morning run because a small part of my brain thinks, "What if some creepy guy is chilling out waiting to pounce on me?".  For this reason, I stick to running laps around my quasi-closed neighborhood.

My first mile was 7:55.  YES.  Definitely felt easy and definitely was working to slow down.  It felt really unnatural.  I let go of working so hard to think about "going slower" during my other miles and the result:  7:27, 7:30, 7:24.  My average pace for my 4.03 run was 7:37.  A little faster than my optimal window, but not terrible.

Anyone else not go easy enough on easy days?