It's a done deal now: I've signed up for the Kiahaw Island Marathon on December 12th. It will be held on the exclusive golf resort on the South Carolina coast. It's flat like a pancake, but it's long like a marathon. :)

I ran 7 miles today (just came back), and it was quite hard. Maybe because it was ninety-some degrees, and the path I ran on is sunny - with the heat index it was easily 100 F.

I run my long runs at goal pace of 9 min/mile. I start out at a slow, comfortable effort, and I don't change my pace and effort unless one of the following is satisfied:

1. My most recent mile split of my average is faster than 8:45. Then I slow down.
2. My most recent mile split is slower than 9:45 or the average is slower than 9:15 m/m. Then I speed up.

I allow myself to stop briefly if needed for bathroom, eating, drinking, people, traffic or extreme tiredness, as long as my average pace doesn't fall below 9:53.

Today pacing was quite good. I only had to modify my pace once: I ran mile 6 in 8:38, so I had to slow down.