~12 miles @ ~11.9 min/mi

"Z-Man!" Paul Ammann greets me as he runs along the W&OD Trail in Vienna. David, Kerry, Kristin, and I have already done almost half a dozen miles together, starting before sunrise at the Vienna Community Center, and I've already told the story of how Paul paused for Oktoberfest beer during the Andiamo race near this very point some years ago, then caught up and passed me a few miles later. (2008-10-04 - Andiamo 2008) Hydration is crucial!

Today is a long run experiment for the office gang, out to Hunter Mill Rd and back, then east past the Beltway before returning. A big 4-point buck dashes across the path just in front of us, and Kristin has to hold her side from laughing as Kerry wonders what she would tell her staff meeting if the deer knocked her down, just two days after her tumble running in McLean. Several miles later two does nibble in back yards by the trail. We pause to admire a giant spiderweb that Kerry spots. Kristin treats us to coffee at Whole Foods after our cooldown. Artwork on the new Tysons Corner metro station glitters in the sunlight on the drive back to the office. Runkeeper records the data.

^z - 2014-09-23