Greasing the Gears

I ran an easy 5 this morning. The temps were cool (high 60s) but the air was very humid. By the time I arrived for the workout some 10 hours later the air was thick as pea soup. We warmed up for 2 miles down the CCT then jumped into the workout; 3 miles at marathon pace, 1/2 mile rest, 2 miles at 13.1 pace, 1/2 mile rest, 1 mile at 10k pace...jog back to B-CC. Karl flew down the trail but I hung back and tried to imagine myself running the first 3 miles of Chicago. My goal was 5:40, 5:35, 5:35, but I hit the first half mile in 2:55. I stepped it up ever so slightly and came through with Bain in 5:45, 5:36 and then 5:36. Sweat poured off our shorts and foreheads then we shuffled down the trail for a chance to drop the pace, this time we were heading uphill on the trail. My goal was to run between 5:10 and 5:15s for the deuce. I hit the first mile in 5:17 and then began to labor. I leaned forward and ground my way up the long steady incline. By the time I got to 2 miles (10:46), I was basically cooked. I staggered forward another half mile and then started out at what I thought was 5 minute pace. It was instead 5:20 pace. I cut through the thick air with my arms and drove like mad up the River Road Bridge only to collapse into a million pieces on the downhill - 5:24. Today was not a time day...it was an effort day. The silver lining is that I felt better than last week. 16 miles today.