SRRC long run - Sun. Nov. 28

Late again, this time as I had to move Alex's car as mine was boxed in. Found Ken and Bill there, so we set off--chilly, but no wind to speak of--and then discussed distance. Ken and I were planning 8-ish, but Bill was aiming for 16. Again, an interesting route (one we'd done at my prompt a while back, Jan. 10 this year in fact) so I couldn't resist. Ouf. All together along the rail trail to NoWash, keeping a very gentle pace; feeling okay. Cross Bardwell and down as far as Barrett, then across to NoLib where Ken heads back up to town. Bill and I move on steadily, to Bardwell and then river, then trail through the factory parking lot and across 181 to enter the main trail. Head along keeping a steady pace, chatting mostly; out on the other end and up the hill, both keeping pretty even, then choose Cold Spring along to Cordner, down to 181, then experiment: take the unknown left hoping to connect into the rail trail--it leads to Sports Haven Mobile Home Park, where we talk in passing to a couple of inhabitants who are ambiguous about the trail. Turns out the river blocking it is wide, somewhat deep, and iced on both sides. While I'm dithering, Bill just plunges in, so I follow: it gets to about knee height and then we're over and sloshing up the hill on the other side. Ice-bath awesome!! Rejoin main trail by Jabish canal, then along to rail trail and back to OldSpfld, then divert to come back through BHS to get to the 16 miles Bill wanted. I'd forgotten my GPS in the rush, but here's Bill's data:

Time: 2:18:57
Distance: 16.54 miles
Pace: 8:24s

Comment: Easy pace, but that was long; definitely tired afterwards, but happy to have worked out kinks from yesterday and started the week with good mileage. Sleep a couple of hours after getting home...