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

Up early so I went out for a recovery run.  No watch but ran a 7 mile route that I normally run.  A bit chilly but no biggie.  I saw a couple other runners that looked like they thought it was 30 degrees out or something.  I think it was around 50.  They probably thought I looked as ridiculous in a sleeveless and shorts and I thought they looked all bundled up.  

Met up with come other post CIM runners at the annex at 6 am.  We split a 2 miles as I wanted to run the 10 mile loop and they wanted to run the 7 mile loop. 

I did not have a watch so no paces.  My legs were tired initially but got a bit better around mile 7.  Maybe it was because I knew I only had 3 more to go. 

Met up with the Wed group today - first time I was able to as my wife had the day off.  We met up at Barton Springs and ran 8 easy up through the University and back down.  Afterwords we celebrated Christmas with hot coffee, cookies, hot chocolate, mimosas and homemade Kaluha. I can not think of a better glycogen replenishing meal.

Did not wear my Garmin but figure 7:40's for the later miles.

8 miles easy - 7:50's - 8:20's.  Need to take a day off, legs need some more rest.  I plan on starting back with the hard workouts after the beginning of the year.

I had an excellent deep tissue/ sports massage by a local elite guy.

URL:  http://runimal800.wordpress.com/

I guess that is how he supports himself.  His name is Kiplimo Chemirmir. He is from Kenya - his PR is 2:15 - he won the Cow Town marathon one year, and it is his cousin who won Boston this year.  Pretty amazing stuff.

I got a few tidbits from him. He runs his easy miles around 7:40-8:00 pace.  Hard days should be hard - like "why am I doing this?" hard.  Training should be hard enough to make the race less so. 

He believes in mixing things up - tempos, intervals, MGP runs.  Lots and lots of miles on soft surfaces on easy/recovery run days.  He runs Town Lake trail, the greenbelt, anything but pavement / concrete.  

He is training a group of runners to take them from 22 minute 5k to 18 minute.  They practice surging, catching up with a runner ahead, hard hills, etc.  I would like to go to a couple sessions. 

Anyway - the running community in Austin continues to amaze me.

Woke up with my internal alarm clock.  I decided to drive down to Lake Austin trail.  I did the 7 mile loop with an out and back add on down LAB.  Got something going on behind my right knee - never had pain there before but it has been bothering me for a couple of runs now.  For some reason it got better during the last 3 miles today.  8:10 AP for the run.