Buttsweat Towel© season has begun

4 slow with the dog after dinner.

37F.  6 @ 8:20 AP.  Legs feel pretty good, maybe a tad heavy.  Hip flexors are a little sore going upstairs, but feeling good while running.  Saturday was the perfect time-on-feet kind of day that I was lacking in this cycle.  I'll be in pretty solid shape for Houston, just wish the forcast would start showing me some lower temps and DP.

37F.  5 @ 8:00 AP.  Included 2 strides

38F.  8 @ 7:04 AP.  Included 3 @ MP.  I didn't write them down but they were faster than I need to go (I think the 3rd one was 6:20) and felt really good.  Got a spring in my step and the weather is looking a bit cooler too -- low 50s for most of it, with a moderate wind.

Decided to go with a 1-week taper this time instead of the usual 10-14 days.  When your build up is only 2.5 weeks, a long taper is kinda dumb.  I have a good feeling about this race.

50F.  5 @ 7:36 AP with a few strides.  Ran right after pizza for dinner... that always hurts a little.

41F.  3 @ 7:31 AP from my parents' in Houston.  My youngest was sent home with a fever on Friday, so my only worry at this point is catching her virus (drove 3 hrs in the car with her yesterday).  I feel fine so far.  Weather will be good -- upper 40s and low 50s.  

My plan is to hit the half in 1:28:00, a little conservative.  I figure if I'm really in 2:55 shape, I'll be able to fight my way down there with a negative split.  If I'm not in 2:55 shape, I think I can still pull off a PR with a slight fade in the second half.

Bib # is 1099 - appropriate for tax season!

Oh and maybe this is a good sign - every year I park in the garage next to the expo to get my packet.  It is free for 0-30 minutes, $4 for 30-60 min, and goes up from there.  I've never made it back to the exit gate in sub-30, but today I walked to the expo, got my bib, got my shirt, bought some gu and made a bathroom stop in 28 minutes, entrance gate to exit gate.  Free parking!