A bit sore but in good shape

As was indicated on Friday's 6-miler, I continue to recover nicely from last Sunday's half marathon. Sunday's 13-mile training run went off as planned and was for the most part a blast.

It wasn't your typical "group" run. Well, I guess for me it wasn't a group run at all. Still, the plan was for June, Sarah, Erica, and me to run 13 miles from the tennis center to the George R. Brown Convention center. Well, actually, June and I were going to run 13 and Erica and Sarah were going to do 10. And since I run slower, June and I weren't really going to run togehter, I was going to leave early and we would finish together. Oh, and Cassie joined us too. So, as it turned out. Cassie and June did their run together, Erica and Sarah did their thing and finished a little before Cassied and June and I brought up the rear, meeting them at the tennis center. So, our 5-member running group still needs to get it together. :o) Just kidding!! Seriously, it's very, very hard to find people with your pace and your distance and your goals to train with. I think the way we do it is the next best thing. We all just kind of do our own thing and plan to meet up at or near the end for trash talking and eats!!!

If I'm learning anything at all, I think I'm getting better at planning my training runs and I'm able to take more and more things into account, setting realistic expectations while still pushing and staying motivated. I did this distance last week at the Koala/Luke's Half Marathon at 13:45 pace with temps in the upper 50's to upper 60's and no noticeable humidity. So, I figured with yesterday's conditions and it being a training run, not a race, I would shoot for 45-60 seconds slower than my race pace. As much good as it would have done to do some of the hills along the asphalt portion of Allen Parkway along the bayou, I pretty much stayed "up top" and avoided the hills. I don't care too much for the terrain, though, up top. The trail is uneven and rough. It almost felt like a trail run at times.

At about mile 5 or a little past, I could see all the way to the east side of downtown to the GRB Convention Center. I unintentionally got a little psyched up and did an unusually quick 13:05 mile 6 down Rusk to what will be the finish line for the Houston Marathon. I stopped there briefly for a Gu and some water and then was off. I don't want to sound narcissistic but sometimes people (not runners) look at me. :o) I think they're just waiting on me to keel over dead at any moment. Either that or they're in disbelief that someone as big as me is out there at all. Well, I caught the eye of a couple of ladies going to a convention or something, crossing the street at the corner or GRB. They had that look as they passed by me. I just took a swig from my water bottle and said, "Well, back to Memorial Park," nonchalantly. That must have really got them wondering about the whole "what's someone going to do when they find this large man passed out in the street over on Bagby?" thing. I just smiled and went on my merry way

Thanks to that miracle 13:05 mile, I averaged 14:35 for the 13 miles. Here are the stats:

Total distance - 13.0 miles
Total time - 3:09:32
Mile 1 - 14:40
Mile 2 - 14:45
Mile 3 - 14:50
Mile 4 - 14:34
Mile 5 - 14:52
Mile 6 - 13:05
Mile 7 - 14:20
Mile 8 - 14:36
Mile 9 - 14:34
Mile 10 - 14:54
Mile 11 - 14:38
Mile 12 - 15:04
Mile 13 - 14:34
Average pace - 14:34
Temperature - 67 degrees
Humididty - 89%

So, overall, I'm pleased with the run. I did not crash. I had to be patient at the beginning and tough at the end. Seems to be a recurring theme here.

Congrats to all the Striders who kicked it up a notch at the Run with the Saints 5K on Saturday. Lotsa hardware and a smashing PR for Steve B, a PR and hardware for Pony, and a first in age group award for COACH STEEEVE!!! Some Strider-pippin' going on as well but it's all good

God Bless!!!