Baby steps...baby steps.....I said, "GOOD MORNING, GILL!"

This comeback or "go there in the first place" or whatever I am trying with running has been, for the most part, a pleasant enterprise. Save for the times I overdressed for the cold (yeah, the cold never bothered me, the sweat did), didn't moisturize the skin on my ribs when I wore Brooks t-shirts or the still mysterious hip and thigh discomfort, I've been having a great time. But there are still things I need to confront, and one that has plagued me for two years has been my digestion.
Today it interrupted what was a good, and on it's way to being a great, workout.
Six mile repeats, with a 400 jog recovery. Karl, Klim and Murat were starting around 5:00, but since I wanted to last all six, I started a little farther back with Dave, Andy and Mike. I paced pretty evenly thought 5:20 and 5:15 (well, 5:18 and 5:12) and felt so relaxed than the only strain I put on myself was holding back so I would last all six. Dave took the lead for the third and although I got ahead of myself and pushed the pace on a few stretches, we managed to dip under 5:10 to 5:08 low. During the last lap, though, even as I was speeding up, I started to feel weird things happening in my stomach, so that was it for my workout.
Despite my frustration, I am pleased to have run those times with such ease. I can't wait to get back to the point where a 4:50 mile feels like something I just do. A few miles for a cooldown and I had 10 for the day, and I'm on pace for 65 this week.

In other news, Jon Lauder's students made an e-Harmony profile for him. How sweet. And clever.

Also, in my mid-morning fatigue, I laid my head on my plastic jar of peanut butter and noticed the 7-3-09 expiration date. Maybe that explains my gastrointestinal ills, starting with the Brentwood 5k. Hmmmmmmmmmmm