Summer Pattern

I am returning to my summer running routine. Since my last post of nine days ago I have run a dozen times. I would like to keep going every day as long as I feel I can. I feel a bit of tightness in my left Achilles tendon upon arising in the morning and I stay cognizant of how things feel in the forefoot pad of my right foot because the structure of that foot the second and third metatarsals carry more than their share of footstrike forces.

Three nights ago I ran with about eight members of the Boulder Trail Runners. The idea was to go out easy on the flat and anyone who wanted to let loose on the return could do so. I decided to go with the lead group that let loose, but I soon found myself losing seconds on them. After about a mile I was 25 seconds behind. I kept pushing and felt that I was running faster than I did in the Bolder Boulder. Sure enough; I ran three plus miles at 7:15 pace. I did catch and pass one of them who didn't sustain the pace but I still ended up a little over a minute behind three others. Two of them are running a 100 miler this weekend. It was good for me to get the fast turn over which I usually don't on the climbs and descents I typically do.

Two evenings ago I ran a bit more typical route from the house on trails with lots of ups and down over six and a half miles at 10 minute pace.

Last night I went down to Eldorado Springs and cruised on the trails there; I felt like I could have kept going and going as far as muscles and energy were concerned but I had only had time for seven miles.