A bit cold early, around 27 degrees. Decided to wait until the afternoon to run. Lucky choice, because when I revved up into the streets heading to Busey Woods plugged into my iPod listening to The Crystal Method the sun was warm, around 55 degrees. When I hit the 2 mile mark about 800 meters from the woods I hit the accelerator on the uphill next to the pool and I was feeling it - I knew this was going to be one of those workouts when I am pushing pushing pushing. I ran hard about 1200 meters to the rest point at the end of the woods boardwalk, slowed down to about 8 minutes per mile for 400 meters, then picked it up to about 6:30 per mile for 800 meters, and went like this for 3 miles, 800 on, 400 off, looping around the woods, under a canopy of autumn yellow foliage, sweat on my brow, breathing like a locomotive. A few places in the run I went down to about 6 minutes per mile, which is about as fast as I can go. I was hurting at this pace, which is exactly what I wanted. Hell of a run, wish I could do this all the time. Afterwards stretched, did 4 sets of pull-ups, push-ups, crunches, dips, calf raises. Walked 40 minutes home. Tomorrow a moderate 7 miler in Busey Woods. | 