faster with age

     I started this run just before dark and finished the second half in the dark. My son and stepson and I drove up and started on the reservoir road and all three of us ran different distances out and back from the car at our own paces. I had run 7 by the time we met back at the car then I ran another 3 miles the rest of the way home to make it 10.  The temp was perfect in the low 50s and calm. I felt better on this run than I have for a while. Average pace ended up at 7:37. Last mile in 6:52. I don't know when the last time I ran any distance under 7 min pace. Less than 2 miles of the run was on pavement and it was pretty much dark by halfway. I normally end up quite slow while running on dirt without any light but tonight the pace seamed good.

     I rode 19 miles on my mt bike today on dirt roads. It's been a while since I've been on a ride. The last one was back in February in the snow. I need to get back at it. With over 4 miles left to go in my ride, my seat fell off. Since I didn't have the tools I needed to put it back on, I just had to gather the parts and put them in my pockets. I had to put the seat in my shirt and tuck it in then ride the 4+ miles home standing. You wouldn't think it would be that hard until you try it.

     My son's and I and the three dogs drove up to the reservoir road to run. I ran 6 miles and they ran 4. My two bird dogs were pointing and jumping pheasants and a couple of Hungarian Partridge all along the way. On my way back as I was running back past the upper end of the lake, a pheasant flew up on the other side of the lake and I realized that my German Shorthair was over there and had jumped it. She then was trying to stay even with me on the far bank which was going to get much farther away in a bit. It was about a quarter mile back to the upper end of the lake and I didn't want to go back. She didn't really want to do it but I was eventually able to coax here to swim across. My sons who just started running are getting quicker and weren't very far behind me when they hit the 2 mile turn around.

     Same run as yesterday. 6 miles at 8:10 AP

     Didn't get in a run but played a little over an hour of racquetball late PM

     Ran early this morning before leaving on a trip to Craters of the Moon National Park. I ran 9 miles at 8:30 pace. My legs felt heavy from last nights late night racquetball. It was a tough run. This week there is free entry into all National Parks so we took advantage and made the 2 1/2 hour drive up. We did some hiking and a lot of cave exploring.