Tore down 30 today!

I am now on the precipice of a 100-mile week--my first in a few months. This morning at 6:30, I met Paul R. and Bob P. at Lock 29 and we got in a pretty fast 10-mile trail run in 1:18:46. We needed our headlamps only for about the first 15-20 minutes. Bob P. held a really strong pace for us. A few times I suggested to Bob and Paul that we slow down but it was just one of those mornings.... Based on what I saw this morning, I think Bob is looking at a great season and will do well at the 100K National Championship and also at the Burning River 100. I also think Paul will have a great season and will break 3 hours, if not this spring then definitely this fall.

So for the morning I got in a total of 24.1 miles, adding the last 14 with the Lock 29 crew as we did the quite challenging Carriage Trail loop from the Towpath. About 4-5 miles into the Carriage Trail run, Mark, Kam, Steve H. and Marc A. (who's also looking really strong) dropped the hammer and took off. I was too tired from the previous run with Paul and Bob to keep up, though I managed to hold on pretty well, finishing with Wayne. Wayne's looking much stronger than a few months ago. He'll do pretty well in Boston and I think he'll also do a great job of pacing me at the Mohican 100.

After our run we all went to Hudson's for breakfast, enjoying a great meal and talking some trash. We had a great time, and then went to VR to look around. I got some Asics DS Trainers--less than 10 ounces, making them the lightest and most aggressive shoes I've owned. I'll wear them at the Spring Classic next weekend and also at Cleveland, if I'm able to do it. Hopefully they'll give me an edge in breaking 3 at Cleveland and going sub 1:24 at the Spring Classic.

This afternoon I got in another 6 miles at easy pace. I felt really good, though right now my mid-back is pretty tired. I was going to only do 4 but then I realized 2 more miles would put me at 30 for the day. How could I resist that? So I did it.

The day's result: 30.1 miles in 3:58:19, of which 24.1 were on trails. All in all a hell of a day. Tomorrow all I have to do is 12 miles and I'm at 100. I think I'll go for 15 and make it 103 for the week. Why the hell not?