The 10K barrier

How is it so hard to improve? . . . Not that I really should complain. Today was the second of the Snowstorm (haha!) Classic 10Ks that I've managed to get to, and while better than the first, it was not smooth sailing. As with the New Year's eve run, I had weird dry mouth at the start, though at least I didn't have a sinus cold today. I went off quite deliberately with the first cohort, and even had Carlos in sight for the first mile. But then after completing three miles I started to feel stiff and on the verge of cramping; I wanted to push but it was as if I was wearing heavy trousers (it was mild, though the breeze was cool; I was in shorts with a T-shirt and fleece). Meh. I recovered a bit at about the 5 mile point, and one chap who I see at every race --Monson, these, even in Boston? -- overtook me, then slowed down and tried to give me a tow. Very good of him, and I benefited, but I couldn't stay with his pace (I did get to thank him afterwards; I think he's a marathoner or triathlete, young, shaven head, short but stocky and very well built; must find out his name). Well, I ended up with a medium time, though it felt like a high pace:

Distance: 10K = 6.214 miles
Speed: 9.01 mph
Time: 41:21

Comment: I know I can break 41 minutes; my best time last year was 41 dead. I think this year I'm a bit short on weekly distance. After the run Carlos R and the second placing woman runner were heading off for a warm-down and she said she was "only" running about 45 miles per week, to which Carlos responded that he did about 90 miles (where do you get the time?? -- well, at his running speed, it takes him much less time, I guess). So I'm thinking I've got to raise my sights back up to about 25, in 3-4 runs each week. I should be able to do it, and in fact the week ending today I managed exactly 25. Yosh!