Hi Pens...

Elite 8? What's that? I am no longer paying attention since SDSU is done.

In other news, I am super proud of DW. She did her first 15 mile run today and learned a lot about hydration. Her problem is that she needs quite a bit of fluid during long runs or else she has big problems. In any case, she did it at an 8:53 pace, which is too fast, and she is happy. When she is happy, I am happy.

As for me, I did an 11 mile run while DD2 was at swim practice. I ran it "hardish" because I wanted to test my Achilles. Happy to say it behaved today. I felt it a little but it did not hurt. I will go out and get some more easy miles tomorrow. Now we're off to San Diego to take DS back to uni.

Jerry: What's on tap for tonight?

Awood: Great picture on FB!

SF: Intervals on the track?

D: Welcome back to running. I'm glad to see you out there again since the doc cleared you.

JBJ: Nice work on the long run and the monthly mileage.

Lauren: 30 mpw?! Before you know it, you will be at 40 and then 50!

Baboon: I will root for UCONN for you.

Ginny: Ahh... sweet, cool, rain.

redrum: Get ready for next Saturday. "Whatcha gonna do, brother!"

Enjoy your Saturday.

Hi Pens!  We are going to see  a movie since it's crummy out, and when we get back, I will do either my short run or my LR, and the other one tomorrow (when it's still supposed to be crummy out).

Jack- Congrats to DW!  Sounds like she may surprise herself during the race if she keeps that pace up!

No PR this morning at my 5K. I ran an official time of 29:44.....which is a minute and a half slower tham my PR....oops. My PR is 28:16 which is a 9:07 pace. Ran the first mile this morning in 9:04 which was perfect and I felt GREAT at that pace. So my speed is coming back, as is my endurance (my 8 mile run last weekend felt really good) but clearly stamina is lacking because I hit the turn around (was an out and back course) and the headwinds hit full force and maybe that had an effect and maybe it was just me but I fell to a 9:50 pace and struggled to maintain it. When I finished the 2nd mile in 9:40 I was crushed and fell to an easy pace for a minute or so. But when people started passing me and I could see the finish I got a second wind. I really kicked it the last half mile and was able to maintain in the low 9s for the last half mile or so and out kicked a chick who had passed me before at the finish. 3rd mile was 10:00 flat due to the easy running at the beginning of that mile and last .12 was at 8:29 pace for a Garmin time of 29:49 official 29:44 (someone handed me my medal the SECOND I crossed the finish line and I was distracted by the bling and forgot to stop my Garmin right away hehe). Not a PR but all things considered (injury, illness, ect) I'm happy with it. That one 9:04 mile felt so so good despite the fact that I couldn't hold onto that pace so that is what I will take away from this.

Congrats on your races, Robert and Kristin.  Kristin, I think I know the feeling you're describing in that first mile.  It's like, THIS is what running feels like!  Soon you'll be able to hold that pace again, I am sure!

So today it was in the mid-40s, rainy and windy, and the weather report said it was supposed to be like that all weekend.  I sure didn't want to run in that for 2 hours if I didn't have so, so instead we all went to see the Great Budapest Hotel.  It was funny, we all liked it.  DH was giggling the whole time.

As we were leaving the theater, I could hardly believe my eyes.  Was that blue sky out there?  It was!  Blue skies, white fluffy clouds, and almost 60 degrees out!  DH joked that I should keep an emergency running kit prepared for just such occasions.  I must have looked antsy just looking at it.

I threw on some running gear and was out on the road within minutes of getting home.  It was one of those surprise sunbreaks where everybody kind of drops everything and heads outside.  People were out taking pictures, walking their dogs, saying random nice things to each other, etc.  I half expected snow white and a bunch of happy forest critters to be coming around the corner!

It started to rain again about halfway through, and was really dumping by 10 miles.  Then at 11 miles, the sun came out, but it was still raining.  I looked behind me, and wouldn't you know it- double rainbow!  Over the riverbank, even!

I finished my 12, and it was sunny and blue skies again by the time I got to me house.  And that was my last run over 10 before my HM.  Taper time!

I got a little over 10 with Bella, this is her longest trot, whilst I was jogging. I did the 10th mile the fastest in 8:46. Me and Anson will be meeting in less than a week now. For those that have me on FB, you can see I changed my photos to a little Oak Barrel nostalgia. I hope to get me a new souvenir bottle of Jack Daniels Single Barrel with a faster time inscribed on it.