Mid 50s, rising to low 60s, cloudy, breezy at times. Endurance run, club run (1.5 mi w/ a new club member who had to turn back since she is a beginner), and Leg Builder Hill. I began this run still feeling a little sore from my speed work on Wednesday, especially in my calves. With the breeze, it was actually chilly at first, while I was still up on the Ridge. In the valley things warmed up, I warmed up, and I got to the club run in plenty of time (for a change). I hit the bonanza on the wildlife sightings today. In addition to the usual rabbits and squirrels, I saw the elk herd that is often at Meadowbrook Farm (not really a farm but a county-run nature preserve of sorts). Then there was a beautiful doe that crossed in front of me. After that, I saw two coyotes in a field, occupied with some rodent I think. Just after that, a bald eagle went right over me and perched in a big tree by the river to watch a little flock of Canadian geese that were down there honking away. There is always some threat/possibility that Mr. Sno will be offered a promotion to LA or NY, and days like this I think I'd rather just have him retire early and us live in relative poverty than give up our NW paradise. In other musings, I felt very low today in spite of the nice cool weather. I was doing a couple of faster miles (MP plus 15-20 seconds) around mile 11-13 and just felt no zip, none at all. Maybe it will help that I did them anyway. But it just brought on some very dark thoughts. If I like running mile after mile at a 10:00 to 10:30 pace, why am I continually working towards getting faster? Then again, maybe I'd be getting slower and slower without all that work. Self doubt in every form, with the added negative voice of "why do you even try? why do you even care? how many years are you going to fly this banner ("goal=BQ") over your running life?" I have a 10K in 3 weeks, and a marathon in 7, and I felt so incompetent today. Then half way up the Parkway (LB Hill) I got the most dreadful stomach cramps and had to walk nearly a quarter mile to the park bathroom (and thank goodness it was that close!). So the 1st half of my run today was beauty, nature and joy, and the 2nd half was, literally, "endurance" run. | 