I drove my brother’s Toyota Tundra around town while down in Texas for 4 weeks and was always refueling at $50 a pop.  Despite its 20 gallon tank, gas guzzlers like that are always running on empty.  And that works as a metaphor to describe me during my last week in Texas.  Work busted my balls and I missed running on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I was able to follow up the half marathon on Sunday with 7 miles on Monday and I thought that was going to be it for the week. Work was weighing heavy on me and I wasn’t sure today would ever come.  Then someone at work said some nice things to me that picked me up and re-energized me.  Suddenly I was looking forward to my Thursday and Friday meetings and squeezed in runs both days.  I was even in good spirits watching Lance own up to Oprah – tragic as that story is.

Not sure where this second picture was taken.  My gloves are off so definitely after 4 miles.  I’m guessing between 7 and 8 miles, likely where we turned off Shoal Creek onto 45th Street.  If it looks like Suzanne is passing me here, I can tell you two things.  First, she is half my age.  Second, I beat her by nearly a half minute.  More likely this is where I passed her.  I was cutting corners everywhere.  I like the way we both leaned into this curve though.  That’s racing a half marathon at a 7:23 pace.

I saw my time at 9 miles and did the math.  I was going to finish under my 1:45 goal – a PR in a half marathon.  In fact I knew I could slow down a bit and still finish under 1:45.  But my stretch goal of 1:40 was within reach if I maintained my pace.  And I knew I felt good enough to maintain my pace without question.  But like recognition for doing a good job, feedback like this motivated me.  I sped up a little more.  Marginally, but I picked it up.  With 3 miles left, a pack of runners surged from behind me and I matched their pace.  We surged again with 2 miles remaining on Duval and yet again in the hills of the UT campus.  I finished strong and a good 3 minutes under my stretch goal.

I took that momentum into a tough work week.  I started out the week with a big agenda and a plan to check off action items like miles in a race.  I stumbled early on but got picked back up by a buddy and finished strong.

It was a good 3 weeks with my mom.  She’s doing well.  She learned both the iPad and apps on Windows 8.  Not that she didn’t bitch about Windows but who doesn’t.  The mind is still sharp.  Fixin’ to board my flight home tomorrow.  Going to see Django tonight at the Alamo Draft House to recharge and hit the road running again next week.