Good Month

Got in a great 20 miles Saturday morning.  Sam V, Jim B and I started at 530 at the Hill of Life.  Jim was leading and banging down the hill hard right out of the gate.  I couldn't keep up and they had to wait for me twice at intersections in the first mile.  I warm up pretty slowly and today was no exception.  I knew I'd be good later and sure enough I was.  The start of the route we took was very familiar but then we diverted off on some side trails that I've been on before but get lost on if I'm by myself.  I told Jim the next time we do this route I want to lead so I can see it from up front.

Sam fell back a bit at times during the hilly first 6.5 miles and at the mini aid station Jim had set up he told us he wasn't feeling it and said he was gonna bail out on us.  That really sucked but there are some days you're just not feeling it.

Jim and I continued on thru the Grotto, up Shan's (we walked it Shan) and back down to the main trail.  I led from there and was feeling really good.  I kept thinking about the Tarahumara indians in the book I'm reading (Born to Run) and about their style of running.  I tried to focus on using the weight of my upper body to propel me forward and land as flat footed as possible instead of the typical pushing off.

I had had a goal of 5hrs in the back of my head the entire run and after Jim and I replenished at Spyglass our elapsed time was 3:41.  I told Jim that had a goal of 5hrs and he immediately said, "no way".  I told him that I was gonna go for it and took off.

Mixing in running and walking, and for non- Austinites, the 350ft climb up the Hill of Life, I finished in 5:00:18.  Lately, the last miles of a longer run like this I'm limping in the last few miles but I stayed fueled up and continued to feel energized and was able to push it.  This was the best run I've had since at least the Bandera 100k in January.  I think the difference lately has been the everyday activity of the 100 day challenge.  I'm planning on continuing this indefinitely.

Yesterday Misty and I did a 3 mile walk in the neighborhood.