Cowboy Hazel

I took advantage of the light mileage on my training schedule in the middle of this week to record some impressive speeds. Tuesday, coming off a nearly unbearable rest-day with a huge build-up of energy, I ran 5.4 miles at 6:57 pace. I expected that (and the beers and kraut-dog that I had at the Mets game that night) to slow me down for Wednesday, but not so. I came back and matched the pace exactly for four miles. I ate healthy yesterday and didn't drink and even managed to get over seven hours of sleep. I woke up today feeling super-refreshed and completely pain free. Knowing that I have another rest day tomorrow, I decided to push the pace again today and see what I could come up with. I finished my 4.04 mile route along the East River in a personal best of 27 minutes and 7 seconds! That's a 6:42 pace (just seconds off my best 5 mile race pace) and I ran it this afternoon in 80 degree heat and 50% humidity.

I'm loving the optimism and energy that these runs have given me going into this Saturday's 18 miler. Hopefully it will be enough to carry me past the point where the logical side of my brain tells me that it's time to quit.