Keeping up with the mid-pack

I met up with the group this morning. I wasn't even almost late! The speedy speedsters decided they were going to run the ridge (a 12 mile run) and the rest of us stuck to the usual 6-7 mile path. Everyone started off really fast today, but luckily there was another slow person - for part of it anyway. 

This was my thought process during my run:

Mile 1-2: Oh man, I am slow today. Thank goodness there's another slow person.

Mile 2.5: No! He's running the ridge, I'm on my own. One pair of shoes sounds really lonely on the gravel. I have to catch up. If I skip the first ear (side loop), I'll be able to meet them at the halfway point.

Mile 2.5-3.5: I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

Around 3.5 miles is the midway point. There's water and bathrooms and everyone waits to regroup.

Mile 3.5-5: I have to keep up or I won't be able to find my car for a while. Oh look at me! I'm keeping up and I don't feel like dying!

Mile 5: Oh no, the killer hill. They're getting away! It's ok, I can still see them. No, it's fine, I can find the car from here. Just keep them in sight, then it's almost like keeping up. 

This is what the numbers look like:

Split Time Distance Avg Pace Summary 53:51.1 5.86 9:12 1 9:33.5 1.00 9:34 2 9:32.4 1.00 9:33 3 9:14.1 1.00 9:14 4 8:45.0 1.00 8:45 5 9:03.2 1.00 9:03 6 7:42.9 0.86 9:01

I'm pretty impressed with myself that I kept up with the mid-pack runners of the group. When we got back one of them asked, "Did we run faster than usual?" They all agreed that they had.

Running with this group has really made me push myself, and I'm getting much faster than I ever thought I was!

After I got home I finally tackled the mountain of dishes that I have been pretending weren't there.

Then Buddy and I went for a walk before it got too hot out for my fair-weather pooch.

All that and it's not even noon. Feeling pretty productive this morning!