I ran 18 miles from Runtex at Gateway in far north Austin to Rogue in downtown east Austin. The course was simplified (read this as less hills, because Ruth felt sorry for us after last week’s super hilly course). For some unknown reason I felt strong running and didn’t get stiff. Maybe it was the cookies I ate. You see the night before I found out I had only one Clif Shot for the entire run. So I filled a baggie with four chocolate chips and a few brownie cookies. Each water stop after about 5 miles I had some – messy but yummy. I never minded the flavor in my mouth unlike Clif Shots or other gels. I’m now wondering if those cookies were magic since today’s run was so good. Maybe I’ve not been fueling myself well. I ran with Keith, Richard and Terry. After the first water stop Keith went on ahead and was gone. I never saw him again. At that stop I waited for Richard and Terry who were behind me, but I didn’t realize that they didn’t stop and continued on. So for the next leg until the next water stop I was alone and wondering how I missed them. I kept up my pace and chased a crowd of people about a tenth of a mile ahead of me. I caught them at the second water stop and found Richard and Terry with them so ran with them until Lake Austin Blvd around mile 11 when I slowly went out in front. They caught me at the Mopac bridge and then on the trail I went out ahead again. Next Richard caught me at the Town Lake trail mile 0, but I kept pulling ahead. Somehow I just felt comfortable running at my own faster pace today. I wasn’t as stiff today. What’s up with that? Up Waller to Rogue, which typically is a death march, was not so bad either. I finished in 2:51:27 or 9:28/mile. Not bad if I say so myself. And Richard arrived about a minute after that, and Terry a few minutes later. I drove Mike, in Geezer’s group, north back to Runtex, and headed home. Good run. Here is a link to the route.
