The best thing I can say about my runs this weekend is that I got a haircut.  After letting my hair grow long over the winter, I’m back to short.  Not quite my typical buzz cut, but feels good running in the hot air.  I believe my running hat fits better too.

My pace hasn’t improved though.  I don’t know what happened but I slowed down a week and a half ago and can’t seem to get my speed back.  I can’t say for sure if it’s this little abdominal injury.  The pain from that recedes within the first mile to where I don’t notice it.  Being my core though it might be stealing my strength.  I don’t generally consider any issues above the knee to even be a running injury.  I have my PT visit scheduled for Monday.  It’ll be interesting to find out some details.  He’ll likely tell me it’s from turning 51.

I squeezed 3 quarter mile fartleks into my 7 miler Saturday.  Ran them in under a 6:30 mile pace.  I felt like I was nearly sprinting.  Hoping that will help my legs break out of this slow funk.  I have some tightness in my right hamstring now.  That’s something I’ve had before in some marathons so I need to stretch that puppy out.  A few other areas hurt too after those fartleks.  Interesting how running fast can highlight problem areas.

I ran the White Rock Trail this morning.  I literally ran into Keith on the trail, after having told him to run without me when he pinged me around 8am.  Pretty funny since we don’t normally run that trail.  Not sure why I wanted to run by myself today.  Maybe because I knew I’d be running so slow.  I maintained a decent pace though – 9:18 per mile for 12 miles.  What really felt good though was how strong I felt running up the hills.  My heart was never pounding like a drum and I was quick to recover after reaching the top of each hill.  This is a really good sign that I’m in good shape.  That’s what I like about this course.  After running this trail for 24 years, it serves as an indicator of my conditioning.  I have to be in half way decent shape just to complete the course without walking.

I’m kissing Jabe in this pic at the Left Hand Brewery to celebrate the completion of her USATF running coach certification.  And because I’d quaffed a few beers by that point.  This is my last weekend of prep for the Bolder Boulder 10K on Memorial Day.  I suspect I’ll start to taper next weekend.  I don’t know that I’m ready for the Steamboat Marathon the following weekend.  I’ll just run it slow.  I’m good at that.  My buddy Chris Price ran his first ever marathon today – the Colfax Marathon.  He ran it in 3:46 – an 8:40 pace.  Pretty impressive.