~8.3 miles @ ~12.3 min/mi

"I just heard the word RUN!" Kristin says, as she charges up the hill in front of Kerry and me. We are in a walk break as I innocently start to ask, "Maybe we should run at the next ...". The morning is cool and crisp, and after a week of rest and recovery from last Monday's 20 miler Kristin's legs are frisky. It's a superb feeling, gliding free and easy over the earth. "We need to bottle this for race day!"

The loop through Tysons Corner includes a sunrise selfie pause in front of an office building with glowing stripy lights that slowly cycle through the spectrum. After the bridge over Route 7 our search for a short-cut is stymied by a fence. ("It's not legitimate but let's do it anyway!" somebody says about the cross-country quest.)

New Hoka One One superpadded shoes feel comfy, but classic metatarsal twinges in the left foot begin after ~7 miles. Perhaps two inserts are one too many? Earlier my head brushes against low-hanging leaves because of an extra inch of height that thick soles provide. The comment "I should have ducked!" provokes laughs.

(trackfile) - ^z - 2015-10-29