Running with the Rabbits
Last night I ran the 4K/2.5M to the trailhead of the Graben Running Club and ran 11K/6.8M with the rabbit group. Two of the guys that I normally run with from a moderate speed group decided to get in a tempo run, so I figured well they are from my group so they probably won’t run too fast. Ha!
We attached ourselves to a group that turned out to be rabbits in tortoise’s clothing, they started out at a nice steady 5:30/K (8:51/M) pace, but it turns out they were just warming up – by the second kilometer they were flying along at 4:45/K (7:39/M) which is faster than my 10K pace.
I hung with them until the 3rd kilometer, then dropped back with two other’s, that I haven’t run with before, who decided they were too old for the rabbits like me ;-) We settled down to about a 5:18/K (8:30/M) pace, which was more sustainable.
As it turns out one of the guys that slowed down with me was “the other” dude in the running club who ran the 80/K (50-miler) Fidelitas Night run in June – we finally got to meet each other! This dude told me he has run the event 21 times, almost every year that they have held the event! This year he came in 12 minutes ahead of me! So we spent the rest of the running impressing the third dude with our ultramarathon adventures, hopefully convincing him to run it next year with us :-)
So anyway I ended up running the 11K in 58:01, an average pace of 5:16/K (8:29/M), a good tempo run, and an enjoyable run with two new found friends! I jogged the last 4K/2.5M home with light feet and a smile on my face, it just doesn’t get better than this!!
p.s. The two guys that I started running with at the beginning turned around at the 5K point and took a shortcut back to the starting point - the rabbit group burned them out :-)
Comments
Yay for making new running friends at your pace. So, if I create an ultra by my home, you'd really come in??? How impressive would that be to have someone from Germany on my list!!!
Posted by: LoraRuns | August 17, 2006 11:57 AM
hi jack, thanks for stopping by! i posted a reply on my comment box, but decided to stop by your blog and put it here as well. about the scrapbook...: the "physical" one has been made over the past few years. the "virtual" one, from 2am to 6am this morning. i'd say not too hard, considering scanning all pages, resizing, uploading, that kind of thing. glad you enjoyed!
cheers,
fraulein fargasch.
Posted by: nattie | August 17, 2006 3:12 PM
Isn't it amazing how fast a run can zip by when you've got someone to talk too?
This morning we ran through the park when it was just beginning to get light - and there were dozens of rabbits hopping around. The little brown, wild ones and a few black ones that I've never seen wild around here. They must be former pets. Anyway, that's what I thought of when I read the post title!
Posted by: backofpack | August 17, 2006 6:11 PM
Jack, are you getting much faster? Your times seem to be dropping...I tried to find some of your early paces, but couldn't.
Posted by: susie | August 17, 2006 8:06 PM
Yeah - what susie said. You're getting quick.
Posted by: jank | August 17, 2006 9:44 PM