Patience; the new endurance sport.

8:40,8:48,8:39,8:11,8:17,8:36,8:37,8:40,8:38,9:13

Monday is always hard to get going.  I told myself that if I tried hard for 8 miles, I'd treat myself to an 'ice cream' cool down mile.  Meaning, run hard for 8 then go as slow as I want for a whole mile, enjoy the sounds and smells of the trail, and contemplate the morning. I was running headlong into my ice-cream mile at the end of 8, when Sasha and partner came by and invited me to join them---I really wanted to!  I need to be more mentally flexible so I can be ready to run fast, even after 8 miles.  It could only help me.  It would have been great to be paced into a couple more 8:00 minute miles.  I should have just turned around and bravely taken up the challenge.  But I was heading toward my hard earned reward, and that last mile was delicious. I relished all those cool pockets of air that hover near the river, smelled all the honeysuckle and horseshoe chestnut blossoms in the air, and began greeting every passerby.  I don't know why I suffer the disparity between 9:13 and 8:11 so much.  I hope to make 8:13 feel like 9:13 eventually. 

I used to fall asleep by 10:00 dead tired.  But since I've been doing this 8 mile a day thing, I actually have more energy and ready to go in the morning. It seems wrong.  But true.  I think running 4-6 miles a day is like trying to swim in the surf, you're constanty fighting the waves and so you never get comfortable.  Running eight is like swimming past the surf into the still water where you can find your stride and a little peace.  So I ran a warm up mile, ran into Sasha and Jeff and did a couple of faster miles-- they let me set the pace sort of, so it was comfortable running (8:20-8:40 ish).  Sasha did pace me through a couple of spots and announced that I could have run a 7:50 mile.  I'd like to believe that I could have kept that up a bit longer.  It was chit-chat running, and and so fun, but I could have pushed faster too.  I ran back with them to pick up Sarah.  We ran about 4.5 together talking the whole way.  The miles literally slide by when we run together. It's been so fun, to both try to run faster, and find friends on the trail.  It's been a nice summer that way.

In the PM ran 2 miles with my 9 year old son.  He was mad at first and ran a 14 minute mile with flailing arms, dramatically panting like a dog.  When he realized it would go faster if he concentrated, he whipped out a 9.5 minute mile and put me to absolute shame on the last 200 meters (I'll race you to the end!).  I had no idea he could run that fast. Seriously.

"Just start out fast, keep running fast, and finish fast....that's all."  This is recent advice given to me regarding a potential racing strategy.  OK, sure, run really, really fast! Simple.  So I went all out from the beginning just to see what would happen.  I'm a slow starter and like to believe that I'm saving my energy for the finish (which typically feels good to me).  But ok, I'm trying new things recently.  So, I started fast and tried to keep it fast for a while.  I'm happy to report....that IT ALMOST KILLED ME. I have not found the profound silence of  the 'third eye' since Yoga/meditation was a bigger part of my life.  I had to go there alot to get these splits.  In fact, I didn't know I could find it running. Surprize!

8:23,8:26,8:26,8:06,8:24,9:02 and here's where I found Sarah on the trail 11:31, 11:02 Thank goodness for Sarah...

I ran easy in preparation for the Freedom Run tommorrow.  I am pleased that my easy stride has gone from 9:13 to 8:36 m/m.  You know, I've been using the trail since 1991.  It used to be dirt.  I was so excited when they started grading it for pavement back in 2000.  But the pavement brought a lot of people and bicycles.  I'm glad for the a.m. regulars with whom I have developed a sort of relationship-- the two old guys who walk their beagle, the 50-something shy lady who looks like my 7th grade gym teacher and who is out there EVERY day, the four lady walkers, and all the neighborhood runners.  Perhaps the river trail feels too much like part of my own back yard and so I have opinions about who should be there prior to 7:00 a.m. -- But I have to say how much I hate the bicyclers on our end of the trail--There is no path dedicated to them like on the East half of the trail and therefore I think they have no right to go tour-de-france on our end. I particularly resent the attitude of the retried couple in matching yellow neon jackets.  Just because you're retired, doesn't mean we owe you the whole road.  There, I said it.

Happy Fourth of July! Today's race was, well...not my smartest race and really self-revealing. Do you want the good news or the bad news first? Ok, the bad news. I ran as fast and as hard as I could and my average pace was still just about 8:30. I started out fast--and just as I was afraid I'd do, I lost my mojo by mile 4 and had to stop a good minute (or three) to drink and catch my breath and stretch. This is the good news: I ran the first four miles like a champion! 8:05/7:26/7:46/8:25. But the success of those miles freaked me out, and I choked. I actually told myself it wasn't possible for me to run that fast in a race, and I literally stopped myself from acheiving a major personal milestone. I ran the last two miles easy at 8:36/9:02 (up the 900 East). So the good news is, the speedwork has really paid off-- I've never run below my 8:02 threshold. The bad news, I have leraned that I have very poor mental stamina and endurance. I should have made a pit stop at mile 5 to get that looked at (the mental hospital is strategically located both literally and metaphorically). To make matters worse, Mike Strauss (neighbor/friend) further patronized me by running additional miles (turning around after his own finish) and passed me headed against the running traffic on 900 East, somewhere he turned back around and re-crossed the finish line for the secnd time passing, and finishing just in front of me. I mean, that is sad, I was beat by the same guy, twice, in one race! Anyway, it was so fun to see Melissa Bateman, Shelly Dixon, Camden Miller, Paul Baca, and Mike Strauss it was like a high school/neighborhood running reunion. Also, met Josse--she looked like she was leading the race around mile 5 so I cheered for her loud and also bumped into her at the end. Way to go Josse, you make running at the head of the race look so easy. I saw everybody except Catherine, who I was supposed to meet before the race and never saw even after the finish! I was so mad about my time I ran all the way back home (another 5.15 miles). So even if my time was only average, at least I'll get my miles in this week. So now, I guess I've learned a lot about my own fear of success, and may finally be ready for new mental conditioning.

Third week of 50+ miles!  The mileage is great. Now I've just got a few other details to work out.  Amanda came to run 5 miles with me this morning.  It was so great to see her.  She told me all about Ragnar/WBR and how much she thought I'd love running those quiet miles out in the middle of nowhere.  She and Derek are building another team for a  Ragnar Relay out in the DC area in September.  I would totally be game for that except it's the month before St. George.  I'd really like to qualify for, and run in Boston 2009, so I think I'm going to keep it simple.  But I look forward to running maybe the Marine Core Marathon with her or some other fun DC race in the next two years.  She noted that I'd become a lot faster since our last run about a month ago.  Our average pace this morning was 8:36.  That has become pretty average for me in the past month.  After she finished her 5, I ran another 5 on my own really thinking things over from yesterday.  First, I need to make sure I can hold an 8:30 pace for my long Saturday runs WITH NO STOPPING.  Second, I need to concentrate on my improved gait during that long run.  I have found that going from 9:13 to 8:36 was a very simple matter of moving my feet quicker and having a more significant push off.  I was told to use quick 'hot pavement' steps and that move alone made me faster without significant exertion.  I have strong legs and I haven't been putting them to good use until recently.  Also, I noticed yesterday, I waste a lot of energy in my shoulders and upper body.  I need to let my legs do the work and relax a little up here.  Third: I need to develop my own "I Can!" mantra-- one that to fill that space of mental weakness when the going gets tough.  I actually know 'I can'.  I needed something with a better psychological fit.  So in a quiet space, while pushing mile 9 it came to me--it’s “I deserve" and "I am worthy" (to run fast).  It's so corny and personal I can hardly believe I am writing this down.  So anyway, I repeated these phrases to myself -- I was so tired by then, but I kept repeating them, and when I looked down, I had run a mile in 8:15--easy, like eating ice cream. It was not about punishment, but acceptance and gratitude.  Now I've got to keep practicing those thoughts--together with "I can!"--  and then just never stop.  Ever.  To anyone reading these latest epistles, thank you for your wonderful comments and encouragement.  I had no idea how much I could learn from others--of all things from running (because it's not just the running, is it?).   It's nice to know you can be 40 and still have a significant, life altering attitude adjustment. Now to sustain it through practice and endurance.