Tear down this wall

After a solid workout on Wednesday evening, I decided to take it easy on Thursday morning. Scott and I ran an easy 8 miles...never dipping below 7:30 pace. I felt good.

On Friday, Sam, Scott and I ran down to the Walter Reid Annex trails again, but opted to not run an extra loop. Again, the pace was easy, which was welcomed. It was pretty cold, if I remember correctly. I got in 11.

On Saturday, I hit up Cell Phone Field, which really should be called Radio Tower Field for the last workout on grass before the USATF Cross Country Club Champs in Lexington, KY next weekend. I went into the workout feeling good, but for some reason, once again, I felt like poop during the session. I can't put my finger on it. Cross country is my *thing*, but every time I hit the grass, I never feel as if I have a great day. Granted I don't run/feel terrible, but I usually have that extra pop when I run the course vice the track/roads. After a 3 mile warm-up, I (we) hit the grass and proceeded to run 2 x 1k and 6 x 500m. The entire time I felt as if I was breathing hard and playing catch-up with the rest of the group. My times weren't "off" or slow, but I never felt great during the execution. That said, our team going into the race is legit. More on this later in the week...

It wasn't ideal, but on Sunday I had to get in something long. I parked my car at B-CC high school and ran south along the CCT to the towpath to mile 0. It was here I met Texas Paul. We hooked a hard left and started running back towards Maryland, some 10 miles away. About two miles south of The Line, Tex started to pick it up and I cursed myself for allowing him to join me on this misadventure. My legs were tired. Simply put, they were tahhhrd. I let Paul inch away from me and I shouted instruction ahead as to where to turn. We crept down to 6:10s...then 6:00s...then 5:50s. A woman on a bike said "now that's a good pace". I approached "Santa", a barrel-chested runner who dons a Santa Hat every December in Rock Creek and asked him for some "new legs". He "ho, ho, hoed" my way and promised to bring me my prize. I continued north, away from The Line, and on into Bethesda.

Tex eventually slowed up and we ran together for the remainder of the run. For me, it was a 22 miler, my most since God knows when. It capped off a 92 mile week, my most since...God knows when. Years. I jogged in with a 6:15. My legs were tired, but I could have kept going. 

Twenty+ mile runs are definitely getting easier and easier. The wall is being scaled. Come Phoenix I hope to take down the aforementioned wall with dynamite.