~5 miles @ ~9.6 min/mi

My shorts are falling down! An old pair, bought half a dozen years ago at the thrift store for a couple of dollars—perhaps the elastic is dead? Perhaps I've lost weight? Regardless, I have to keep hitching them up. Past time to throw them away!

Cara Marie Manlandro is returned from travels and getting back into running trim. We meet at Lake Needwood and start down Rock Creek Trail a little after 6pm on a warm and humid evening. Downstream from milepost 14 to ~11.5 we go, guessing the turnaround based on time and pace, crossing the side-trail bridge over the creek there to tag the other bank before heading back. I chatter away about mystery tendon twinges: right knee, left index finger, left big toe.

From the start CM says "We're going too fast!", but I reply with "We're better than we think we are!" and challenge her to accelerate the pace. During the final mile I spy a young lady jogging ahead of us, and whisper that we can catch her if we try. On the final hill she's walking, so as CM and I approach, pushing hard, I say, "Ma'am, you've gotta run and pull us along!" She takes off in a helpful trot; CM and I manage to almost keep up until the mile marker. We pant out thanks. Our rabbit runs onward, up the gravel path across the dam at the end of the lake. I joke: "She's obviously a sandbagger—I hate her!" Splits: 10:04 + 9:53 + (4:57 + 4:37) + 9:22 + 9:11 = 48:04.

^z - 2010-05-28