9:43 av. I planned on going 16, but what the heck 18. Sure. I was running with the big girls and boys. Ran with Smooth's group. Kim/Cathy (whose coming to Boston too), Teena, Kelly, Davey Crockett and Maynard (Brad). Dave had run 13 miles before we even got there.We ran up the windmill hill through the golf course along the Jordan River and turned around at the military cemetary at the top of the hill. Smooth doesn't like the hills, but I do. I knew she'd really start to rock-n-roll about mile 10, right about when I was running out of gas. The river was so fat and full and green. The color reminded me of the Colorado River out in the desert of Southern California. Smooth and I saw so many hawks. Five flying in a group and another group of three. They flew in a bunch, circling around and falling out of the sky above the water like they were fishing. We saw one big fat one (maybe an owl?) up in a tree. We think we saw a bald eagle, it had a huge wing span and a white head. Lots of ducks, geese in formation flying north. That river parkway is very pretty. This time I could see where we were in the valley. Last year when I went to meet them there, there was so much fog, I couldn't see the point of the mountain, or the golf course, or the windmills. I got to tell Susanna about my newest favorite documentary (Grizzly Man) that I watched two times in a row. Teena and Kelly had run very far ahead at a much faster pace. The other two ladies and Manyard only ran 10. We met up with Kelly & Dave again around mile 12 and finished up the run together. I wanted to drag out those last two miles, but Kelly and Susanna wouldn't leave me behind and kept me company those last 3 miles (at my lagging pace). By the time we finished, Dave (the 100 mile ultramarathoner) had run 30+ (just another Saturday for him). Kelly, Susanna & I --18. But Kelly was going home to run another 7-8 with Scott (to make another 26 mile Saturday), and Teena had run 18 too, but at a 7:30-8 m/m pace. Next week they're all running 22 (I've got 14 on my agenda). Man I'm such a lightweight. But I did feel really strong and I could have even pushed the pace a bit and gone a little further. But it was a pleasant run. I'm grateful for running friends and to hear what they talk about. After the run, we sat in Teena's car eating oranges, bananas and hot chocolate (thanks girls!). And RAD showed up to say hi. It was so fun, those girls know how to make a running party. I never showered after yesterday's (easy) workout, so I really deserved a bath. When I came home I sank into the most delicious hot tub (made even more delicious because I had to drive home in my sweaty cold clothes and was chilled ). I eased myself into that hot water and said a prayer of thanksgiving for warm water that runs right out of the faucet in my bathroom. God bless America. | 