Saturday, it was nice and cool (just cool enough for fun running, about 59 degrees) and mostly overcast while we were out there. We were scheduled for a "recovery" long run, in the 10-13 mile range, and Gilbert had picked an out and back route that covered some of the proposed new AT&T marathon course. Gilbert and Bernard were out of town running in Dallas (they finished 3rd and 5th at The Half around White Rock Lake), so we were sort of self-governed today.
My tribe set out for 13 miles. I had mapped it out via Gmap beforehand, and it looked like right at 13 miles, plus or minus a tenth or two, and that would certainly hit the spot. A fast finish was sort of optional, but I figured if I felt good at the end, I'd push it at least a little bit. It was a fun group that started out, with Frank and Rich joining our crew as "guest runners" from faster groups. Frank is just coming back after his great Chicago marathon run, and Rich is ever so carefully coming back from a stress fracture. The rest of the crew was, hmmmm, Amy (who darted ahead and was not seen until stretching), Rachel, Javier, Colleen, Sue, Jennifer, and other folks who I failed to write down at the time of the run. Darn it. Probably a selection of people from the pool containing Bonnie, Norma, Shannon and Christina. Anyway, we had fun getting started, but as a precaution, we stopped for a quick sip of water at Mopac, since we weren't sure anyone had put out stuff at O. Henry. That turned out to be a valid worry. No goodies at O. Henry, but that was okay coming back since it was just one extra mile to get to Mopac. Going out, it would have been 7 miles to the first water, which would have been a problem, perhaps.
Anyway, the group stretched and contracted from time to time, an amoebic sort of blob, but we managed to make all the proper turns going up Exposition, over 35th to Jackson, up to Bull Creek, and then back down to 35th and over to Shoal Creek, where I had put out Gatorade and water. For the first time ever, our conversation lit upon Josef Mengele, which was strange, but let it be said, dear readers, that it was a brief mention of Herr Mengele. It was in the context of describing therapeutic devices used in orthopaedic repairs. We took a fair stop at the full aid station, and I even took a GU, just for fun. Another group of Gazelles was there, tanking up, when we arrived, including Steve, Bonnie, and some other folks. We exchanged greetings, and they set out ahead of us.
I hung back with Frank and Rich at this point, and pretty much everyone else seemed to pull ahead as we went back to Exposition. We weren't toddling around, but it looked like the group's inertial pace today was different than mine. No worries. I was feeling great, just enjoying the day and the company. It's been far too long since I ran this long with either Rich or Frank, and it was refreshing to get to chat with them as we cruised along. As we passed O. Henry, Rich and I decided to start a fast finish, but Frank stuck to his plan and stayed on normal long run pace, so we pulled away a bit at that point. Rich stayed with me to Mopac, where we grabbed a quick drink of water. The other folks ahead of us did not stop for water there, so they got some extra distance on us. Wily race strategy! :-)
From Mopac, I was left in the dust by Rich, who is obviously feeling a lot better nowadays. My fast finish was respectable for the last few miles, and for the day, it was quite a good run. HR numbers were fantastic, staying in the happy zone for all but the fast finish, essentially, which was a great sign that the fine fall training season is continuing for me.
Splits: 9:52, 8:53, and .33 miles at 8:56/mile pace. 28 second water stop at Mopac. Then, 8:53, 8:49, 8:50, 8:43, and .52 miles at 8:43/mile pace to the Shoal Creek powerade/water/GU stop. 2:27 stop there. Coming back, 9:11, 8:52, 8:36, and .72 at 7:56/mile pace (fast finish started in there somewhere). 1:00 water stop at Mopac. Final fast finish at 7:34, 7:26, and .17 at 7:21/mile pace. Overall, 8:57/mile pace, including all stop time! Pure running pace was 8:39/mile. 12.74 miles.
We knocked out the usual striders and then had a fun stretching session with the rest of the herd. Most of the Chicago people had come out Saturday for 7 to 10 miles, and it was great to see them out there with us.
Good stuff. For the week, right at 35 miles.
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