Mid day I got out with co-worker DB and did an easy seven (55 minutes). At the close of the day I got out for an other five (36:40). Purpose of these runs was a.) to recover and go easy, b.) play with my stride rate. I did a few stride rate counts and they all came in around 88 strides a minute (single leg). And this was with me thinking about it, meaning it was up. I would occasionally let it slip to what I was more atuned to and comfortable with and that was much slower. The pace on whole would not change (I think) but the stride length would open up. I am going to keep on working on getting the legs turned over. I think TL mentioned it should be north of 90 strides a minute. It does not physically hurt to increase the cadence, but it feels different. It is funny, SE mentioned to me about a year ago that I needed to not have such a loping stride. We did Lindens and I remember matching my stride to his to work on this but then I let it go. I guess I respond better to feedback like Lucho's: "dude, no offense but your stride SUCKS." Yeah, I am a little dense. I felt a little flat today, but overall good, particularly in light of the fact I raced Saturday, and then went long yesterday. I am hoping to jump the track tomorrow to get 200-200-400 workout in - as snow is expected on Wednesday. Quote of the day came from co-worker PM today, "....after about 7 or 8 hours out there on course...everything is stripped away...there's nothing to hide behide any more, no ego, no cockyness, no pride, no work problems, or relationship things...it's all gone and all that is left is you. It's scary, too scary for a lot of folks. But that's also the reward. You experience every emotion out there." There is a lot of things I love about endurance sports: the training, the race, the competition, but ultimately what I love most is the rawness of the humanity it presents. As William Wallace says, "we all die. few of us live." | 