MDay-82 -- Tue. June 30

One more NoHo race before I head to England. Not feeling very rested, but keen to get a race in again: aim to add more than the usual 4 miles warm up/cool down -- try parking at Fort Rd end, but no obvious spot, so park in usual place. Early enough, however, to try running a different way, and start off up lane into nearby field; unfortunately it deadends, and water all round, so after crossing heavily furrowed field run back along furrow -- hard going! Then go usual route to the start, pretty warmed up. Ends up being almost 3.5 miles, a bit too much probably. Noone there I know, so check in (leave camera w/ April) and line up: lots of tall highschoolers, it seems, a tough looking crowd. Make a slow start, feeling pretty blah, and the first mile goes by slowly: 6:46. Then pick it up a bit, and slog on, pretty much on my own the whole time. Grab water on way, and take off shirt at about half-way; tired by end, but able to keep pace steady (6:22s both miles), and finish okay. Come in 16th, 4 seconds outside my predicted time:

Time: 20:08
Distance: 3.11 miles (GPS)
Pace/Speed: 6:28s/9.27 mph

Comment: not sure why I felt so lacking in spark, really, though lots of little reasons. I'd really like to do this course at full tilt one time, but it won't be in the next two weeks (England trip!). After a few eats and drinks, did my "cool down" run back to car, taking a different route and taking pictures of chestnut tree in bloom on way; feeling a bit better for most of this part, so ended up making good time, and then last mile clicked up to around 7:00. Combined total of the two legs was 5.82 miles @ 46:36, so on average 8:00s at 7.49 mph. Achilles tendon (right) a bit painful at end, partly from the mosquito bites by it, I think.