Formula

I've been toying with the idea of reaching 90 mpw one lucky day. Here I am fully ready to get this aim.
Sunday, October 7 - time to do another 20 miler.

Couple days before that, I read this post by Ryan and was pretty amazed with his plan for 20 miler. Plan was to make 10 mi sub 7:20 + 10 mi sub 7:00! And plan was done. Wow!!!

It made me think of simple thing: Ok, Ryan's plan is surely not for me, but How many consecutive miles I could run keeping sub 8:00? I made some guess trying to understand this way: I did Half at 7:38 average so I can survive 13 or 14 miles. What about fifteen or more making 20 miler within this experiment? If I will do it, that would be my Best twenty ever, plus I will gain some experience for the real Full race. With all those thoughts in mind I started on my stadium:

Mile 01: 7:41
Mile 02: 7:44 be conservative pls!
(translation: try to keep 7:50 - 8:00)
Mile 03: 7:56 good
Mile 04: 7:56
Mile 05: 7:52
Mile 06: 7:55 I think about Ryan's formula
Mile 07: 7:47 couple homeless doggies watch me,
homeless doggies here are not aggressive at all
Mile 08: 7:55
Mile 09: 7:57 I taught myself to drink without a stoppage,
grab little bottle, 1-2 sips on the run, leave the bottle in the field, no one will take it
Mile 10: 7:56
Mile 11: 7:52
Mile 12: 7:53 ok I am almost here !!!
The tool is on the left wrist and gas spray ("prudential measure") is in right hand. I see a man and two ladies approach to my places and.. here's why I have this tiny gas in my hand for.. Little super aggressive dog chasing me, owners only enter the stadium - I spray and say couple *** words - I guess correct name for the dog. Attack #1. I keep on running the lap and a man and company cross the place - Oh yea, I am supposed to meet the doggy again and am pissed off with this situation. Grab 2 stones (recommendation from books) doggy attack me again and I throw it on the run - I didn't really want to hit the dog, just show 'em that the whole situation is stupid. In fact I found that it is almost impossible to hit the dog by a stone being on the run. Attack #2 - I run backward saying "good" words about doggy and trying to spray right in the muzzle. B*stards, Attack 1 was enough to understand that it would happen again. "Ok, ok, stop spraying, I will hold it" - screams lady grabbing dog. I run away screaming what I think about all of them:
- You are such a Mambo! (Kaz untranslatable phrase :)
So, Mr. Garmin - what do we have? I run 12.50 mi and current mile time is 4:06 !! Holy cow and ***ing dog - I'm seven seconds behind the plan. Gradually increase the speed but this is tricky work, you can get this mile as planned time but "destroy" further miles, it can "play havoc" with other 7 miles.
Mile 13: 7:53 I am lucky (see my HR for this mile - thanks to Doggy for HR and some boost)
Mile 14: 7:54 I am good but it hurts
Mile 15: 7:56
Mile 16: 7:54 I entertain myself croonin' different songs:
Don't stop me now, I'm having such a good time... (Queen)
Mile 17: 7:55
Lord Have Mercy on me, "Sinner's Prayer" by Eric Clapton
Won't you please have mercy ... My neck, back aghh but I keep going
Mile 18: 7:53 three miles only, sort of EZ 5k
Mile 19: 7:53
Mile 20: 7:52

20.00 mi, 2:37:42, avg.pace 7:53, avg.HR 150, max.HR 170 (cute doggy)

This is my Biggest achievement in this distance and it was such a nice experience. Full race soon and I will try to stick to this plan: first mile would be slower, it is crowded in Shanghai and here's my own formula - "conservative" sub 8:00 for twenty and one mile. Then let's see.

Coach has race in 4 days?