Coming Around!

My legs are slowly but surely coming around!  Today’s run was a big confidence booster – my feet hit the ground and immediately bound up, and there wasn’t any feeling of forcing the pace.  Nate and I clipped along at 7:50’s (vs. the 8:20s that have been common these last two weeks – including a run earlier this week where I started in 9:15 (tired legs!)).  We picked it up the last bit to home, and for the first time in a while, it felt GREAT to stride out.  My legs WANTED to move faster, and I felt like they could. Again, there was no forcing the speed – it just felt good to move.  I’m not to the point where my legs feel like they’re being “pushed”, like some of those amazing tapers give you, but if I have legs even a little bit more rested than what they felt like today, I’d definitely take it 🙂

On another note, Nate and I had a fabulous weekend.  Saturday we were able to watch the most IMPRESSIVE and inspirational race I have ever seen.  I’m not kidding. 

Gustavus women were racing at the MIAC championships at Como park.  They were ranked about 5th coming into the meet – they hadn’t beat Olaf, Carleton, St. Ben’s or St. Thomas coming into the meet.  They raced with as much heart and determination as I have EVER seen, placing 4 runners in the top 15 (All Conference) and their 5th in 26th place to take home the WIN!!  That’s the second time in the program’s history that the team has won the conference title (I was a part of the first team to win, in 2003).  I’m so proud of the women!  I’ll bring the memory of their faces, their determination with me to New York, no doubt.

Leighton, my cousin, also had a good race, although not quite what he was looking for.  He’s just saving it for a knock-out race at regions 🙂

Me + Kate Eggers, a senior on the team (yeah, someone my height!).  So proud of the Gusties!!