The Bestest Part

I totally forgot the best part of Sunday's long run. After I ran across the Queensboro Bridge and reentered Long Island City, I noticed the neighborhood had some new flags on its light posts. "Great," I thought, "this neighborhood hasn't up and come yet and it's already went." See, I have a theory that when a hot neighborhood (like, says, Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg) puts up flags on its light poles touting its own virtues (like, for example, the "North Side Shopping District" flags on the light poles along Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg) that's how you know that the neighborhood's reached the point where it's too full of itself to be a viable destination for living (and then, everyone who's not a Yuppie moves to Bushwick). Anyway, as I looked closer at the Long Island City flags, I realized they were something different.

They were bright blue, and not on every street. They didn't mention the neighborhood. Splashed across these flags in Long Island City, in bold, block lettering . . . "ING NEW YORK CITY MARATHON ROUTE"

The most wonderful time, of the year.


Today: 7.45 miles at 55:35 (7:28/mile) with 8X100 strides.
Question for Pfitzers, this run was supposed to be, and ran at what felt like, "general aerobic" pace. However, it's about 30s/mile faster than g.a. pace was a few weeks ago, which is a big drop that's clearly due to reduced volume. Should I be slowing this down for the taper to "g.a. marathon training pace" or keep it at "g.a. effort pace"? (Does that question make sense?) I'll look up what Pfitz-y says later, but anyone have thoughts?