10 miles @ ~9.5 min/mi

Waiting at 8am at the Capital Crescent Trail in Bethesda, I phone Emaad Burki—he's on his way, but late—and then Ken Swab—who turns out to be standing a few dozen yards away, looking for Emaad and me. Soon we're all together, trotting down the path from milepost 3.5. Emaad's friend Alyssa meets us en route. She's already done half a dozen miles with others, and reverses course to accompany us back to Fletchers Boathouse and our turnaround at milepost 8.5.

I feel an urge to accelerate and a mile farther down ask, and receive, permission from Ken. Soon thereafter, as I run under a tall tree, a splash-splatter of what looks like white paint cascades down noisily next to me. I turn my head skyward and see a pair of big turkey vultures launch themselves into space. Fortunately their shower misses me by a couple of feet!

The final four miles are fast at 8:20 + 8:27 + 8:30 + 8:08. On the way home I pick up bagels and bialys at Goldberg's Bakery in Rockville.

^z - 2009-11-18