November 14

AM: 8 miles moderate/hard

I ran some of the usual trails in Rock Creek Park, except that I tried to really hammer the hills, both long and short. I definitely saw some stars at the top of a few of them.

I wore my HR monitor, and got well into the mid-180s on the hills, staying relaxed and easy on the downhills and flat sections.

This was a workout, albeit a pretty organic one. Not helped by back-to-back marathon cycles, my speed has always been lacking; it's just one of those things that some people are born with, and some people aren't. The hope is that more hill work in the next few months should help maximize what little speed I do have. I felt strong this morning, so I see some promise.

The weather was otherwise cool and misty. I saw a huge red-tail hawk flying with something that I'm assuming was its breakfast.

I also scared the daylights out of a couple of women running past them, eliciting a terrified shriek that made me also jump out of my skin. I felt pretty bad about that: nearly delivering a heart attack to a strangers innocently enjoying their morning walk through the woods.

During an easier run, it's not a problem to exercise more courtesy: "Pardon me, but I'd very much like to pass you on your left. Hey, what breed of dog is that? Isn't this weather fantastic?Thanks and have a great day!" (Perhaps slightly exaggerated, but you get the idea.)

But, when you're running hard, your lungs burn, your head fogs, and your legs flush with lactic acid, sometimes the best you can manage is: "*gasp**pant* "Excuse me! "*gasp**huff**puff**wince*

That's what I said this morning, given the workout. There are two catagories of "people who are crowding the trail, who you're trying not to run over." Some walkers/hikers are either 1.) insubordinate and rude or 2.) off in their own worlds/conversations and don't hear you. Either way, they don't move, and you have no choice to come thundering by.

I thought these two this morning were in catagory #1, but they were unfortunately in the latter catagory. (Whoops). My mistake, but I guess it was somewhat unavoidable.