Saturday's Report

The temperature was much cooler as we started our run from Veteran's Park. We ran to the pedestrian bridge and crossed to the west bank going at about a 9 minute pace, and then Jim began to pick up the pace. I looked at my watch as we passed mile markers, and we were doing about 8:40 per mile on the west side - maybe a bit slower when we got to the hills at Turkey Mountain. Kendal, Jim, Bill, Chad, Larry, Andy, Dustin, Gina, and Alicia were with the lead group, and I think a few others, but I can't remember everybody (sorry). When I got to the hills I think I may have even increased my pace; my effort level sure went up! But then Andy and Dustin passed me like I was standing still. Gina, Jim, and I made it to the water stop in 53 minutes. Assuming that was the 6 mile point, our average was 8:50.

I waited for the rest of the lead group to catch up and rehydrate, while Gina, Andy, Dustin, and Jim went on. A bunch of the group turned back there, and it was Larry, Alicia, and me remaining in our little group. We kept up a good pace, and even dropped the pace to about 8:30 along the sand volleyball courts. After a drink at the water fountain north of the casino, we picked up our pace again to just under 8:20, which we maintained until the park south of the Jenks bridge. Alicia was lagging a bit behind, and Larry stopped at the bathroom, so I went on alone toward Harvard at close to an 8 minute pace. I caught Gina on the way back and we finished together. Then Andy and Dustin wanted to get in a little more distance, so we ran to Harvard and back again, this time at about a 7:45 pace. They left me in the dust going up the hill to Harvard, though.

After hauling runners back to Veteran's Park I drove back to the Jenks park to see if anybody else needed a ride. Nope, they were all taken care of. So, Ken and I decided to run back to Veteran's Park, where his truck was parked. So, we ran really easy, going down the east bank between a 10 and 11 minute pace for most of the way, but walking where the sideways slope was uncomfortable to run on (this was where they are doing reconstruction of the trails). Our last mile was in 8:13 pace. Total was 22 miles for the day and 39 for the week.

After the run Ken and I went to RunnersWorld, picked up Roman and Kathy and went to breakfast at Village Inn, where we unexpectedly met Bobby and Susan. Blueberry pancakes for me, monster breakfast burritos for Bobby and Ken, omelet and pancakes for Kathy, and I forget what Roman and Susan had besides their cherry lemonade and strawberry lemonade.
It was a great morning, and I actually felt good afterwards, like I could easily run another 10 or 12 miles. My legs were a little tired on Sunday, though. I think it was cutting the grass on Saturday afternoon that made them tired!

Oh, and Saturday night my wife and I were out at RiverWalk in Jenks with our pastor and his wife. We ran into the children's pastor at John 3:16 mission, and my pastor, Phil, introduced us. Turns out the children's pastor ran 12 miles with us Saturday morning. His name is Noe Rodriguez, and he is married to Tracy - of the Stacy and Tracy twins that have recently started running with our group. Tracy and Stacy speak fluent Spanish, and Tracy teaches Spanish at Jenks. So, "sometimes," Noe says, "they talk to each other in Spanish when they don't want anybody to know what they are saying." But when he is around, they speak in another language that they made up, so that he has no clue what they are saying. Stacy is a church secretary at Parkview Baptist Church.