Today I am Muhammad Ali

10 degrees makes all the difference in the world. The temperature was below 70 when I started out this morning before 7:00. It actually felt a little chilly! But it's all relative when you're used to 90s.

I downloaded a 155 bpm episode of podrunner last night and it kept me moving at about a 10 min. pace which is my goal marathon pace. I'll definitely download some more episodes at varying tempos. For once, I actually felt like my feet were just going.

Since I was feeling so good, I did a few other technical things on this run. First, I maintained marathon pace throughout, finishing 7 miles in just under 70 minutes. I can't analyze splits because I'm without my Garmin for a while. Next, I counted the steps in my stride for a minute at three different times in my run. I was 145, 160, 156. According to this article, optimal turnover is 180 steps per minute. Anyway, I have a ways to go to get to 180. Maybe a faster episode of podrunner?

Finally, I practiced my hill running. The course I run is very hilly, as is anywhere I run in Cincinnati for the most part. I read what Hal Higdon had to say about hill running, and I think I do it correctly on the downhill already. Today I tried to lighten up on on the uphill. I shortened my stride and looked to the top of the hill so that my posture was more upright. Then I thought "float" to the top and suddenly, I was saying "Float like a butterfly" on the uphills and "Sting like a bee" on the downhills. I think it had a significant impact on today's run. Maybe as much as the lower temperature. When I finished up I had a smile on my face and I felt like I could have gone further.

That hasn't happened in a long, long time.