Buttsweat Towel© season has begun

80F, it even got down to the 70s after I was done.  8:25 pace today.  Last mile in 7:38 (HM pace) so we'll call it fast.  The bats were out in force today, more than usual.  On one stretch I was flinching every few seconds as they kept almost hitting me.  Finally I just put my head down and focused on the ground and quit looking..they have sonar, right?

A bone-chilling 77F!  Ran with Mike and Antonio at 4:30am.  It felt so nice outside that I didn't complain when Antonio continually sped up in our "easy" run.  AP was 8:00.  Last full mile was 7:35, then the last 0.62 was at 6:50 pace and included a 50 foot climb up Signal Hill, where we stopped at the top.  Walked back down and did a cooldown mile.

4:30am, 81F.  Did 10 miles today, all between 8:00 and 8:30.  AP 8:16.  I'm noticing I don't really catch my breath until mile 4 in the morning, but then it starts really getting smooth and easy and I have to hold back so as to keep it "easy."  That's the improvement I've been waiting for, I think.  It's how I felt right before I ran a good HM in April.

As I was turning on to the crazy bat stretch, a guy coming the other way (who had just run the gauntlet) told me not to look at them, they're crazy today.  So I stared at the ground again and still had a couple fly right in front of my face.  I guess if I ever get hit by one, I'll find an alternate route.

84F, 4:30am.  Today was hill sprints day (10 x 200m) with the running group.  First, 3.5 warmup @ 8:39.  The stats on my uphill sprints were 1.26 miles in 6:41 (5:19 avg pace) with walking recoveries back down the hill.  Compared to the 5:27 avg pace from last week, a definite improvement.  The long lost muscles I haven't used in 13 years must be waking up just a little.  I still couldn't quite keep up with Mike but was closer.  Shuffled home on marshmellow legs - 3.3 @ 9:11 pace.

On the way back to my base I landed funny and rolled my ankle.  Managed to jog the last mile or two back but had to modify the way I was landing a bit, more heel to toe, to keep from aggravating it.  I think it'll be ok for running though, we'll see.  Doesn't hurt while walking normally.

84F, 5am.  The ankle was a non-issue, so I went ahead with a long run.  First 9 miles were in the 8:30s and 8:40s.  Last 4 were 8:11, 7:52, 7:35, 7:22.  AP for the entire run was 8:20.  Pretty happy with it, given the heat.

On my other foot, another painful spot has cropped up.  The heel bone is tender and sore, mostly on the inside, not underneath where PF would be.  I started feeling it on my run today and can even feel it walking a little.  Hoping it's not a "Calcaneal Stress fracture" which is the closest thing I can match to it right now, although it's definitely runnable at the moment.  I'm thinking if it was a stress fracture it would feel a lot worse.

No run today, thought I would wait and see if my heel got any better, and I think it did, a little.  It's not as painful when I squeeze the heel bone (calcaneus) and I'm not feeling it while walking.  Might go for an easy run in the morning after work; I'm on night shift permanently now which ensures I'm able to run in the morning lows without having to worry about getting to work late, which is nice.