Return to Semi-Long Runs [Entered 5/18/06]

Saturday, it was time for the week-after long run to settle down the legs. I was bad, and failed to run on Thursday or attend a gym visit, but I was looking forward to some relaxed mileage on Saturday. Weather was nice in the mid-60's, and we had a big crew to run with. The conversation was relaxed as we cruised around Town Lake. I thought about cutting it short at 7 miles, but I felt great, so I hung with the crowd for the full 10.1 miles. No fast finish, though, because I promised Gilbert I'd be a good boy if I ran that far. He didn't want me to go more than 7 miles, but like I said, it felt easy enough. Overall running pace was about 9:15/mile, but we had three water stops totalling maybe 5-6 minutes, so true overall pace was slower than that. Whatever. I did what I was supposed to do, go out and run nice and easy. We did 6 striders afterwards, too, and they didn't even suck. :-)

We finished it off with the full stretching routine, which was as expected. I felt great today, and next week maybe I'll even get back in the full swing of things?

I sort of embarrassed myself after stretching when I tried, unsuccessfully, to convince Gilbert that I didn't need to do Wilke on Monday. He was adamant that I needed Wilke, and he even gave me "The Look," so I knew further argument was futile. Everyone else gets to do circuits, but my gang gets to do Wilke. Oh, well. Good for my mental toughening, I suppose.

For the week, a paltry 16 miles, plus or minus. I'll chalk it up as a running vacation following the end of my spring racing season.