I only run on days that end in a "y."

Met Kevin early and we carpooled down to Barton Springs pool, did an easy mile and then met up with Dan for 8 recovery miles around town lake train.  Jumped into the springs afterwards for a cool down.  Great friends, great conversation, great run.  Doesn't get any better.

Nice cool morning - around 70 and low humidity.  I warmed up for a mile then met the group at BS Pool.  Today was a MGP run on the trail but I wanted to run closer to tempo pace for 5 miles.  Warmed up another 1/2 mile and then ran 5 easy followed by 5 @ tempo - not at fast as I would have liked.  I could not get the turn over going for some reason.  I had hoped to be down near 6:30.  We ran on the trail so that takes some pace away - I could feel my feet slipping a bit a certain points.  Well, my legs have gone through a lot over the last week so I won't beat myself up too much about it.

1.5 warm-up 

5 miles easy:  8:25, 7:34, 7:32, 7:40, 7:32  

5 miles tempo: 6:42, 6:42, 6:40, 6:44, 6:29 

.5 @ 7:10

PM - 5 miles at moderate pace. 

Drove down to Town Lake trail so I could do a slow recovery run on a soft surface.  I did the 10 mile dam loop from BS Pool, which adds a half mile each way to the main trail.  Great temp at 62 degrees.  Watched the sunrise come up on the downtown buildings while I ran.  It was quite beautiful. 

8:34  overall average.

 Recovery day today - 55 minutes spin class - moderate-hard.

Nice cool morning - around 60.

Started at BS pool and ran to the annex to meet up with the group and then ran to the Austin High track.  3.43 mile warm-up.

I don't know why I was dreading this workout.  Today was another 2400m time trial followed by 15 x 200m sprints.   This time we ran it on the track compared to Zilker park.  I thought it would be mentally tougher because it would be 6 laps on the track compared to 3 at the park.  But I didn't find much of a difference.  I found a good groove right from the start and ran the first 4 laps at a comfortable 5:37 pace and then picked it up on the last 2 laps to 5:09 pace. 

2400m (1.55 miles) in 8:23 = 5.28 average pace.

Then we did 16 x 200m relay, where one person would run 200m, tag his/her partner, and then jog across the field to the other side of the track and start over. 

These felt pretty good and I ran them from 42 seconds (5:35 pace) down to 36 seconds (4:49 pace) with the majority around 40-38 seconds.

After the workout I had to run back to Runtex to get some money someone owned me and then ran back to BS pool  3.26 miles @ 7:30 overall pace.

Kevin was going to meet me in front of my house at 5:45.  My phone alarm went off at 5:25 and, after silencing it, I immediately feel asleep.  I woke up a 5:48 - not sure how.  I had to run outside and yell to Kevin to give me 5 minutes.  I don't think I have ever gotten ready for a run that fast and was half asleep for the first half mile.  

Otherwise, it was a good run in nice cool temps.

Today we ran the point-to-point course.  Fortunately, the start is about a mile from my house. The course we run is overall net down hill starting way up north and finishing downtown.  The challenge with this course is the logistics of making sure you have a ride back to the start after  you finish.  

I met up the the group and we took off.  The plan today was to run 18 miles with 4 easy, 4 MGP, 4 easy, 4 MGP and 2 easy.  We were able to stick to this plan pretty well but by the time we got to 16 we just kept going and, in fact, picked it up more.  As soon as my watch hit 18 miles I slowed down a bit for half a mile to the annex.  I was pretty tired and glad to be done.  That's when the guy I ran with, and my ride back up north, told me he parked at Barton Springs.  So we had to run another 1.5 miles!! Not what I wanted to hear.  The good part was I was able to put my legs in the cool healing waters of the springs.  Solid run today and I accomplished what  I wanted.

2.62 miles @ 8:28 pace (forgot to turn auto lap on), then

7:22

4 @ MGP 6:46, 6:49, 6:45, 6:49,

4 @ easy 7:20, 7:27, 7:21, 7:09,

6.5 @ MGP or below: 6:49, 6:49, 6:37, 6:29, 6:29, 6:23,  .5 @ 6:50.  

There are some nice elevation drops on the last few miles hence the face paces.

1.5 easy to the springs - 7:43 pace.