Already Too Late

Ran 4 miles yesterday for Nat'l Run Day. Instead of typical (boring) loop around neighborhood at lunchtime, I went out to the main road and ran to the Y because I know it's just slightly over 2 miles to get there. Tons of cars/trucks, an old guy on a bike, but no other runners. So I feel like I was representing us runners out there. Forgot to wear club colors, had a Phillies shirt on. Noticed several places where the bushes/weeds/vines are totally overgrown blocking the sidewalk... don't notice that when driving past. I see walkers along here regular, and it is a full sidewalk, just covered in places by jungle. Maybe I'll contact these folks back to point out that their sidewalks are almost un-passable do to the overgrowth (maybe).

Easy pace, variable. One measured mile was 8:15, but I know that i started much slower than that. Picked up my new stainless steel water bottle at the Y. They give away something about every-other month. I guess that's where my $75/month goes. Frankly I could do without the give aways, but i always pick them up since it's my money anyway. They probably end up thinking the friggin give aways are soooo popular! I'd rather have some of my money bacK!

M8k race is saturday. I'm not expecting much. In all the times I've done this race i've never had a really good one here. It's flat so I always think... i'll run fast. But several times it was warm & humid. Other years I was injured or just coming back from injury so didn't max the opportunity. Forcast this year is pretty good, but I haven't done a lick of speed work in over a month. Plus still not 100% since post marathon. Speaking of which, that little nagging pain in lower left abdominal area is really buggin me. I made the mistake of playing tennis for a long session the other night and the reaching, pivoting, etc really aggrivated the problem. This tennis was a prefect parallel to my marathon experience. I know what to do, but i don't always do it. Tennis hurts my body- I should stay away from it or at least take it in small doses. It's like when I start having fun (yes, I can still whup my 13 y.o.'s butt, and his friends, even though they were on the tennis team at school this year & I only picked up a racket 2x in the last 2 yrs)... then my brain shuts down and I just don't think until it's too late. When my 10 mile split at the marathon was 5 minutes ahead of pace AND there was more hills than I anticipated... it was already too late. Gotta remember my brain more often when I am out having fun.

M 8k times over past few years:
2004 33:40 6:46pace
2005 injured; didn't run
2006 busy w/work; was on break from running
2007 36:38 rehab'g quad tear
2008 34:54 humid/went out too fast
2009 ? not expecting much, maybe 35:30 - 36:30 range. One of these years I'm going to get it right at this race but it ain't gonna be this year.