I haven't logged any runs since June, but I have been running. In fact, after three years of injury and slow to no running. my experience at the Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back and today's run have made me feel something I haven't felt in a long time...I feel like a real runner again. I've thought, "I'm baaaack!", but I but I'm still a long way from being back to my 3:07 finish at the 2007 St. George marathon. I'm currently just hoping to be closer to 4:00 than 4:30 this year. 7.5 mi at 8:05/mi Today I ran with Wayne, Kevin, Grant Larry, and Jolene. I ran 7.5 miles down South Fork to Canyon Glen park. Larry started farther down the canyon, but the rest of us ran mostly together for the first 2.5 miles or so (7:52, 8:10, 7:53). During the third mile Grant had dropped back and Wayne and Kevin had pulled ahead. Jolene told me she wasn't going to hold the pace and to go catch Kevin and Wayne. As I picked up the pace it felt so good that I went on past Kevin and decided to push hard to try to catch Wayne, who had pulled even farther ahead, by the time we got to Vivian park. I knew I'd be tired for the last 3 miles, but hard is good sometimes. I think I closed the gap slightly, but he was still 100 yards or so when we got to Vivian. I saw 6:58 as my split for mile 4, and 6:47/mi for the last 1/4 mile to Vivian. I think its been three years or more since I've run a sub-7:00 mile. Sure it was downhill, but I don't care. As I expected, I was beat and the last 3 miles were tough (9:11, 8:25, 8:22). I averaged 8:05/mi overall for the 7.5 miles. Very encouraging for me. I didn't have any aches or pains to speak of either (knock on wood). I had taken 2 ibuprofen before the run and my sore right hip didn't bother me at all during the run. After sitting in the car to drive Larry back up to Trefoil to his car then back home, my hip had stiffened some, but not too bad. I really enjoyed today's run. I was finally with the old running buddies again, the weather was nice, the canyons were beautiful, and I'm pleased with how I ran. I'm beginning to remember why I enjoyed running so much. [Now I guess I'd better go back and log my runs from the past month or so.] | 