Marathon #6 (or 7) Training Complete

Well, I can't say I feel 100% ready for this year's L.A. Marathon. Fighting off a light case of the flu as I entered my final month of training, I never found my rhythm...the first time I have not recorded a steady pace progression through race day.  Even worse, my average pace over this period (and my annual average pace) has slowed considerably since I set my marathon PR two years ago.

02/17-02/23: 37.74 @ 9:29/mi
02/24-03/02: 37.17 @ 8:58/mi
03/03-03/09: 30.19 @ 9:17/mi
03/10-03/16: 20.41 @ 8:53/mi
Average training pace for month: 9:11/mi
Annual average pace for 2013 YTD: 9:14/mi

Month before the Malibu Marathon in 2012:
10/13-10/20: 46.65 @ 8:46/mi
10/21-10/27: 36.67 @ 8:31/mi
10/28-11/03: 30.15 @ 8:18/mi
11/04-11/10: 20.22 @ 8:13/mi
Average pace for month: 8:31/mi
Average race pace: 8:30/mi
Annual average pace 2012: 9:03/mi

Month before the Surf City Marathon in 2011 (still my PR):
01/09-01/15: 45.49 @ 8:17/mi
01/16-01/22: 36.42 @ 8:27/mi
01/23-01/29: 30.02 @ 8:06/mi
01/30-02/05: 20.26 @ 7:40/mi
Average pace for month: 8:11/mi
Average race pace: 8:13/mi
Annual average pace 2011: 8:45/mi

Month before the Los Angeles Marathon in 2010:
02/21-02/27: 45.41 @ 8:47/mi
02/28-03/06: 36.16 @ 8:23/mi
03/07-03/13: 30.11 @ 8:08/mi
03/14-03/20: 20.17 @ 7:59/mi
Average pace for month: 8:24/mi
Average race pace: 8:22/mi
Annual average pace 2010: 8:29/mi

Starting the week after Malibu, I began my 18 week training schedule unable to do my back-to-back-back midweek runs with consistency for fear of aggravating my ankle injury.  That said, I was able to hit or exceed my distance targets through mid-January until a trip forced me to shift one out of sequence.  Not counting the 27 miler I ran before Christmas, I stopped short of my target distance on my two longest runs, surely a bad sign.

Since I started feeling tenderness in my Achilles tendon, I backed off on the minimalist running.  I have also started to question the endurance of Vibram soles...I wore through a second pair of Merrell Trail Gloves more quickly than the first, and in less than half the distance I typically get out of a pair of Asics Kayanos.  I will no longer use Merrell Trail Gloves in my rotation.

I still hope to beat my time in Malibu, but I am not sure I will be able to beat my previous time on this course.  3:40 is a tough nut to crack...even when the weather conditions are ideal.  Sunday's forecast could reach into the 70's if there is no marine layer or if it burns off before I can finish.