Solo 15 -- Sat. March 28

Busy week meant I didn't get out at all, and I was v. short of sleep too. Still, a slow Saturday morning allowed me to catch up a bit, and I was ready for a good LSD run by about noontime. Gorgeous warm day, dry, cool breeze, just *ideal* running weather. Took a water bottle, but no gloves, no hat, no longs --just a T-shirt and a long sleeved T-shirt on top. Started on to trails at AustinGaughan, just to see how it was: a bit wet on the downhill, but clear; did the second bit of trail through to Bay, then up Allen and on up over to 202, across and on to Jucket. At the top of that hill took off the long-sleeved T, and chugged on. Reached the top and found the trail was strewn with fallen trees and branches -- from the ice storm back in February? Made going pretty tricky, as the branches were untrimmed and it was hard to find a smooth way through or over. Slowed me down a bit, and I got a couple of stabs in the knee. But good trail prep, with the April race I'm planning. Down the other side and figured I'd try for 14-15 miles, so needed a bit more than straight home: went right, all the way down to the water (which added 1.5 miles each way, to my surprise and momentary consternation!), then turned and came back up all the way to 202, then followed that home, aiming to speed up a bit as it was downhill a lot and clear road. The last three miles were at a good pace, low 7s. I took the VFW turn and stopped the clock as soon as I reached GeoHannum, as 15 miles were already clocked:

Time: 2:00:38
Distance: 15.06 miles
Pace/Speed: 8:01s/7.49 mph

Comment: very happy to get two hours running with no problems, no hunger, and a good progressive pace despite the hilly course. Good to pull a 15 miler out of the hat too -- my body is starting to be happy with the longer ones, I think.