Believe to Achieve

Kim and Jane were running 22 miles at 5:30am.   I ran my 22 last week so I met them at the mouth of the AF canyon and ran 1.5 mile warm up 8:30 pace.  Then we ran UP the canyon to almost the reservoir (their 11 mile turn around).   They ran their 800s on Tuesday so their legs were like SPRING chicken cause' I was feeling LARD-leg like after my mill SW run yesterday and a long day at 7 peaks without a nap (my sister has three little kids, four that can watch themselves, busy times).   Just throwing out my excuses for my creeping pace up AF canyon.  It wasn't that I was winded.  My legs just felt heavy, swollen.  I ran WITHOUT a garmin but with my Ol' Faithful STOPWATCH.  I got my mileage from the gals then course tool for the warmup.  The plan was to run 17 miles but when we passed my car and I was to turn around in one mile Jane said "why don't you just keep running with us and NOT run before work tomorrow"  SO I DID of COURSE.  Plus, turning around meant UPhill again even though it wasn't a huge grade it was still up hill.  My mind easily accepted 3 more miles over one mile uphill.    Basically I was about a total of 2.5 minutes to three minutes behind the SPEEDSTARS on the way up, taking my time.  Wasn't sure how my body was going to like the downhill.  AF canyon is pretty slanted and at least four miles are pretty steep downhill.  BUT amazingly I kept up with them and perhaps PUSHED them a bit at the end, I was ahead for a bit feeling pretty great.  Without my garmin I tend to run FASTER without realizing it.  Jane said I was doing at least a 6:15 pace at that point.  Who knows.  She told me to throw my garmin out so I wouldn't look at my watch and freak out over the fast pace that my mind would inevitably tell me was TOO fast for me.  AP for 11 miles back to Jane's = 6:36!! : D.  Oh yah the AP to the top pace was ONLY 8:17.  See total LARDNESS.  But my legs felt ALIVE on the downhill.  This is SUPPOSED to be recovery week so I guess it is time to relax.  Iced in new spot of AF river.  We so LOVED it.  Waterfall, and REMOTE.  NICE.  AP for all 19.5 miles= 7:23 pace.  I am feeling STRONGER and STRONGER. I have never run back to back workouts like this and totally optimistic since I feel GREAT :D. Splits (Kim's garmin)-- 6:52, *7:00, 6:40, 6:20, 6:14, 6:20, *6:36, 6:57, 6:53, 6:31, *6:35.