I just felt like running

So much for the "easy" week.  Mid-week, I remembered that a year ago  Jon, Eric, and I were starting our run across alabama.  I had to commemorate this and remember Elliott by running a big chunk of the course.  I ended up running from Hartselle to the west through the scenic Morgan county hills  and finishing in Arab at the intersection of Ruth Rd. and 231.

Run went great.   My friend, Cynthia, met me at mile 18 to refuel me and stashed a drop bag at mile 24.   Nothing like cold Mtn Dew, Gatorade, and snickers.

Cynthia got an interrogation at the side of some country road.  Very similar to the one that Liza and Kelly got during our Run Across Morgan County back in 2007 or 2008.

 She is park on the side of the road when a lady drives up..

 Lady:  What are you doing?  (stare)

Cynthia: Hi, I'm meeting a friend.  

L: (stare)  Really?  (sarcastic)

C: For a snack.

L: (skeptical stare) Really?  (sarcastic)

C: He's running to Arab.....  From Hartselle.

L: Sure. (sarcastic)

In the ladies mind, Cynthia was either going to sell drugs  or have some secret backwoods fling.

Somehow (I wasn't there), Cynthia then explained herself and then the two chatted for the next 45 minutes like the best of friends.    I was within a mile of my 24 mile food drop point when she drove by on her way to it.   I had started to wonder if she got lost.

Liza and Fiona met me at the finish.  Large chocolate milkshake!!!!  Nice run. 

Easy run.  Did manage one 7:30 mile towards the end. a little sore.

ran home from work.  Felt good.  Held 8:00-8:30 pace until the last mile.

Hot.  When I left work it was 95F, it was 88 when I got home.  Drained my camelback dry.  Heat was bearable though.  Some shade and/or a light breeze for a good 2/3 of the way home. 

Melting point of a 3 Musketeers is  less than 95F.  I tucked the bar in my camel back pocket and got it out after a mile.  I had to squeeze it out of the wrapper.  Still good.

Ran back to work.   Route got blocked by two trains along the way so I added extra mileage running laps while waiting.  It was already 84F by the time I got to work at 7:30am.

Family Fun Runs at pt mallard.  1 mile : ~6:00  , 3 mile:  18:45ish ,   2 mile: 13:45

It finally cooled down by the time the 2 mile started.    Fun. 

Met Shane at Parkway Hospital after he finished a night shift and ran over to Jon's.  We ran the Chapel Hill, Mud Tavern, Central Pkwy Loop   .  Jon ended up with 11.5.    Shane and I cooled down with a run back to parkway.  Good run at a good pace.  

Morning run over to point mallard.  Easy pace.  8:30's.

Ran from home over to Wilson Morgan.  Met up with Jon and ran a new 5K course I put together over there.  It was so hot.  At 1/4 mile in, it downpoured.  By 3/4 miles, it stopped and was a sauna for the rest of the run.   Pushed it pretty hard - 6:24,6:55,6:57 miles.  The course is a keeper - now we need a race to use it.  Ran home as a cool down. 

Lunch run.  95F.   Felt good.  8:00-8:10 pace.

Ran over to pt. mallard and did the summer fun runs.  Felt good.  1 mile was going well but got a phone call at 0.7 miles.   I ran behind Matthew Dunn in the 3 mile and came in 2nd at 18:45.  He was definitely holding back.   In the two mile, I chatted with Wayne for the 1st quarter mile and  let Larry Dickerson get about 50 yards.  I picked it up and tried to catch him.  It took awhile but I caught him eventually.  13:30

These fun runs are great.  Now they are my speed work of choice.  I'll go into withdrawl after July.

First time racing on the UAH course used by the Twilight and Turkey Trot.  Also, first road race over in huntsville since the Marathon (Dec-09)

 Course is rolling with the biggest incline coming at ~2.75 miles.    Ran with Dink through the turnaround until he pulled away.  I caught Greg Reynolds on the final climb and got within sight of Marty.  Felt pretty good.  happy with my time and effort.

Did a cool down around campus afterwards. 

took the day off , ran in the morning while Liza and Fiona went to Kroger and Target.

evening run,  didn't feel strong but it got better towards the end.  Should have brought a Gu or gatorade.

lunch run and evening run

Ran from home over to the Brooke Hill training runs (5K course run at 6am, 6:45, 7:30).

Nice turnout and great aid by the Elmore's.

The middle 5K turned into a 10K .  I was able to finish with two minutes to spare before the final 5K started.  It got hotter as the day went on.  I should have stopped at 19 miles, instead I ran home and was borderline nauseous when I got there.  After a shower and 30 minute nap, I was feeling much better.

Predict your time race for the final day of family fun runs at Pt. Mallard.  I didn't feel particularly strong on the 1 mile warmup with a 6:05 mile.  I started the 3 mile when the count down clock was down to 18:45.    Patrick was ahead of me and acted as a great rabbit for the 1st mile.  I passed him and kept going at a comfortably hard pace.  This probably was the first fast run I'd done without a watch in several years.   At about 1/2 mile from the finish, I started to work my way past other runners who had started before me.  When I crested the final steep climb leading to the finish, eased up a little thinking I was ahead of schedule and cruised across the finish line.  The countdown was still around 0:30 and Jon shook his head at me.  Too fast.   A young kid cross right at 0:00 and took home a years supply of Pepsi.