MDay-87 -- Thu. June 25

Feeling a bit more mobile during the day, and home in time to do a good outing. *Very* muggy and pretty warm, so wear just T-shirt and shorts, w/ old trail shoes as trails are still pretty muddy. reflector and flashlight too, as I got caught in failing light even on the short run yesterday. Aim for 8-10, with a total of 19 left to do for the week's goal. Aim for steady pace with a tempo mile or two if I feel good, but distance is main goal.

Start round the development then into the trails, then Jackson/Howard and trail again all the way down to NoWash (meet two lady cyclists looking for a dropped phone, but I saw nothing except rocks and puddles), then take the canalside trail. Breathing carefully because of bug clouds, make good time down there, feeling okay but not really full of bounce--the faster run yesterday took that. Out on to the road on 21, back up to OldSpfld and along there: starting to feel a bit sore, with 7+ miles done. Plod on, keeping a fair pace, but not pushing it; reach trail and *carefully* pick along in the considerable gloom, going to to the railside concrete as soon as possible. Then back onto Howard/Jackson, wondering if 9.5 or 10 would come up before the trail entrance, and not feeling like going the longer road way round. Stop the clock anyway at the trail entrance, thus:

Time: 1:10:31
Distance: 9.34 miles
Pace/Speed: 7:33s/7.95 mph

Comment: first 8 miles went by in seconds under an hour, so slowed down over last mile and a half. but nice varied terrain, legs feeling better for most of the run, and a useful distance at more or less marathon pace. Satisfied.