Know Thyself

On Sunday I ran the Liberty 5k here in Winchester. As the gun sounded I was immediately reminded how hard high school kids go out at the start. At first it was a little worrying - finding myself in ~20th place in the first 100 meters - but the nice thing about being a older is that I know the race isn't won in the first quarter mile. Realizing that most of them wouldn't be able to keep the pace - I smiled - thinking how much fun it was going to be to catch them.

It was fun (I got 3rd) - but I also felt a certain amount of envy in these kids who ran from the gun with such excitement. It might have led to a painful day for them on a course that included two decent hills in the last 2k, but high school kids improve so quickly - the best high school runners have to be fearless. Their limits are constantly being pushed back and if they're too conservative they won't be able to take advantage of their new found fitness.

I've often said that my favorite thing about running is the sense of discovery. I love running in new places or during the changing of the seasons. Races though offer the most important kind of discovery - discovery of what is inside. This summer is about doing what I can to make sure I like what I find on October 10th.

Last Week
Monday morning: 7 miles
Monday evening: 10.5 miles
Tuesday morning: 7 miles
Tuesday evening: 11.5 miles
Wednesday: 22 miles
Thursday: 13.5 miles
Friday: 10.5 miles
Saturday: 8 miles
Sunday: 9 miles 5k 16:15
Total: 99 miles

This Week
Monday morning: 10.5 miles
Monday evening: 4 miles
Tuesday morning: 7.5 miles
Tuesday evening: 6.5 miles
Wednesday morning: 14 miles 6X1 mi @ I pace 800 rest
Wednesday evening: 6 miles
Thursday: 14 miles
Friday: 10.5 miles
Saturday: 20 miles 2X2 mi @ T pace 2 min rest
Sunday: 12 miles
Total: 105 miles