~10.5 miles @ ~11 min/mi

Ken Swab and I arrive early at Ken-Gar — should it be called Ken-Mark today? — and beginning at 0740 do an out-and-back northward (see GPS trackfile), pushing each other to miles of 10.0 and 8.9 minutes. Then we join Rebecca Rosenberg and Barry Smith and continue the jaunt downstream and back for another ~4 miles at a conversational pace of ~11+ min/mi. A box turtle is scurrying, relatively speaking, across the soccer field near Rock Creek Trail and welcomes us as we return to the start-finish. Ken leaves for family duty, at which point Barry and Rebecca and I add on another ~1.5 miles together upstream, at which point which Barry punches out.

Ken and Barry banter has left both Rebecca and me yearning for a few miles at a brisker pace, so we head south again to talk and trek at ~10 min/mi. Today is Rebecca's friend Christina's birthday, and thoughtful Rebecca has brought a cake. She sees Christina's car in the lot. By good fortune, and good planning on Rebecca's part, we overtake and pass Christina on our way out and then catch up with her as we return. Christina (Goldman?) is startlingly pretty, perky, prim, polite. She hails from Scandinavia and we chat about my Germanic family heritage. Her partner Dave Bollinger, a faster runner who has just finished his workout, bows down to salute her (and/or the birthday cake).

(see GPS trackfile for details of the ~8.5 mile run with Rebecca) - ^z - 2012-06-17