17.2 miles: "the date experiment"

We are having some really good weather for August in middle TN.  Usually in August, the overnight lows are in the 70's & the yards are brown.  We've had so much rain this Spring/Summer that we've not had to water our back yard at all.
All that being said, I still don't run well in warmer temps.   I like it COLD. Cold meaning....anywhere between 20 & 55 degrees.  That's my "sweet spot".  This morning's run went way better than last weekend's 16 miler.  I ended up with 17.2 miles by the time I got back to the car.   This morning I think the temp was mid-60's....what a nice "gift" in August! 
We met Traci & Jonathon at 5am at the Crocket Y parking lot & took off for some hilly neighborhoods in the dark.  I got in well over 6 miles by the time we met up with the 6am group.  We dumped our reflective gear & grabbed more fuel bottles.  I pretty much emptied two out of my fuel belt during the first hour.  I also ate 4 dates 47 minutes into the run at the suggestion of Scott A.  I ate a second helping of dates (4) around the hour & a half mark.  I never got the sick to my tummy feeling that I have got with gels/gu.  I think the dates might just work!
We had dropped Joe's car with a cooler at Ravenwood high school so we would have another place to refill our bottles.  Altogether I know I drank a little more than last week so that went better, too.  I didn't have the glute cramping that I had the previous week.  (We call it "ass cramping"  LOL!)  Overall, I'm pretty pleased with my pace. I never stopped my garmin at any of the refueling spots or when Traci & Mandy went to the Ravenwood portapotties.  ;-)  We did big hills the first hour & then did small rollers the rest of the time finishing the last few miles totally flat. 

17.2 miles - 2:39:59 - 9:18 pace (I'll gladly take a 9:18 pace in August any day)

1- 9:14 (easing into the hills!)
2- 8:55
3- 8:56
4- 8:57
5- 8:58
6- 9:04
7- 11:07 (eating dates, dropping reflective gear, refueling, & circling for 6am group)
8- 9:12
9- 9:08
10- 9:29 (portapottie stop for the girls-stretched a bit)
11- 10:01
12- 10:23 (eating dates, refilling fuel belts, Tim L. & Jonathon rejoin us)
13- 9:10
14- 8:45 (picking up the pace to finish strong)
15- 8:57
16- 9:14
17- 8:46
 .2- 8:35

After breakfast at Mama's Java's, Jessica & I headed to the gym.  She wanted to work out & this was an opportunity for me to stretch & spin my legs out for 35 minutes on a bike.  I even did my free weights for my arms. 

Next weekend Joe's brother comes in with his family for a quick overnight stay on Saturday.  We are way overdue for a cutback on our long run so I'm thinking I'll likely do 12 or 13 at the most next Saturday.  I swear if the Friday night temp drops below 60, I will change my mind!  LOL!

I'm remaining hopeful for a faster marathon time this Fall.  Hey, I've got nothing at all to lose at this point.  Just keep plugging away....  I will say this, I've never run this much in the summer....EVER.  I've never done "organized" speedwork this much with this amount of mileage.  I feel like it's working.  ;-)