It seems like a fog over my running has lifted. I really had not been enjoying it as much as in the past but I didn't realize it. Starting some time a couple weeks ago things just began to improve, I feel faster, fitter and looking to continue my runs instead of waiting for them to end. I don't think I am really running much faster but I do feel smoother, just cruising along, a feeling that has escaped me for a few months.

I can't pinpoint a cause, my diet is the same, my schedule is very similar. Perhaps the bad memory from that horrible marathon has finally left, or maybe it was switching back to my favorite running sneakers after trying a new style for all of this year, it could even be the hotter weather. Whatever it is I'll take it.

Last week I logged 38 miles, the most in a few months and despite the extra mileage a nagging pain in my left hip as nearly gone away. (I am chalking that one up to the new sneakers). Nearly every mile was run in the park and with the exception of a 12.5 miler on Sunday, all the runs were on very hilly courses. I also got in a rushed 45 minute mountain bike ride on Friday.

This week it will be Statistics class Mon-Tues-Wed night and then my take home final all day Thursday. It probably won't leave much time to run but after this week I am free from school for nearly 2.5 month. Nice!

The past week has been a good one for workouts. I was in the pool twice, nearly a mile on the first dip last Wednesday and over a mile on the second this past Sunday. Both were solid swims and I really feel like I've made some progress on my technique. Who knows this could even turn into a triathlon at some point.

I've also run four times in the past week. Two were lazy trips around Chestnut Hill with my dog. As the temps go up his ability to run goes down (similarly to mine) and we had to walk the last mile home on Monday. I thought he might have a stroke and I was looking for a large puddle that he could lay down in, his favorite thing when he's hot, but none were around. I'll either have to leave him at home over the summer or head straight for the park so he can swim in the creek.

On Saturday morning I joined a large group of Philly Runners for a long run. The run included Seebo, Deirdre, Devon, Jamie, and many others. The group is training for marathons in the fall and are just beginning to run longer on the weekends. I am not training for a marathon but thought it would be good to join them on the shorter weeks, less than 15 miles. Half of me wants to run 15 miles for fitness and the other half thinks it is a good reasons to hang out with friends and enjoy the morning. And that is exactly what it was.

After some easy miles through East Farimount Park and up through Manayunk the pace picked up going up and over the Belmont hills and the group split up leaving myself, Kevin, Seebo and Deirdre to pick our own route through West Fairmount as the threatening skies opened up with a steady, heavy rain. It was the kind of rain I don't really mind, warm with no wind. I actually enjoy being out this mess. 14.5 miles in 2 hours flat.

Last night I took a hilly route through the Wissahickon. I ran a little harder than I have been lately and was really feeling good. Five miles into it I was in front of Valley Green with two+ miles to go. At a moderate pace I know it takes me 16 minutes to run home from here. I had 15minutes 30sec until I'd be running for 1 hour and decided to try and get back home in under an hour. I pushed up Forbidden Drive to the hill at Rex and then tried to keep things going up the hill. The pace was slower then I'd hoped and I knew 1 hour was going to be close. I haven't raced the clock home in a long while and I forgot how motivating it could be.

Instead of resting at the top of the Rex I kept pushing up Seminole and the few blocks to home. Total time 59:53. I stopped my watch, a wheezing sweaty mess. The urge to push myself finally seems to have returned. At least for an hour last night.

If you've read my blog over the past few months the lack of posts and overall lack of mileage make it fairly clear that the itch to run just hasn't been there. Lately, I've been feeling more itchy. It doesn't mean I'm putting in 60 mile weeks but definitely getting out there more consistently and perusing other's blogs and running websites more often.

I also moved my running log from an excel file on my work computer to Buckeye Outdoors. The excel file just wasn't getting it done because I rarely bring my work computer home anymore. I'd never remember to log my run at work, a week would pass and I'd quickly forget. On the website I can log at any computer and it also captures biking and swimming, something this fancy excel spreadsheet wasn't setup to do.

So my new log currently contains a swim on Saturday with Heather. Maybe a 1/2 mile, I wasn't to into it and it should barely count as a workout. In fact I spent the last 15 minutes relaxing in the hot tub while Heather finished her swim.

Monday was a late evening, after dinner run. When I first started running these late runs were the lions share of my miles but this is the first in a long while. A nearly 5 mile jaunt around Chestnut Hill on a cool evening. Something about heading out 2 hours after dinner always makes for a good run.

Yesterday I went a for a run on some of my favorite trails. Not surprisingly there was an abundance of mud which had me dancing around the edges of the quagmire as not to dirty my filthy stinky running shoes. I worked in a several serious hills but kept the pace relaxed. About 6.5 miles in 53 minutes.

I am way behind on logging my runs here and in my official Excel log. It is definitely to the point that I can't remember what happened, how long, and how I felt.

I did have a race, the 4th annual 10K Wissahickon Trail classic put on my Phil from the Wissahickon Wanderers and timed by the infamous Ron Horn from Pretzel City Sports. It was my second year in a row racing and this time the weather was a cool 7o as opposed to the 85 and humid from last year. It is hilly course through the northwestern end of the park. The course had not changed so I knew exactly what I was in for, a bit if a benefit over the course rookies.

The heat killed me last year, I was struggling by mile 3 and dying by mile 6. I know my running shape is not as good as least year so I figured if I could finish in the same time it would be a good race. I took it easy through the first 1.5 miles to try and even out the race and give me people to pass a good portion of the way. It worked, I passed people until about 3.5 miles where the course hit a long steady uphill, definitely the low point for most in the race as you still have the while to go and the course just keeps going up.

I hung and saved some energy through the following downhill section and across the covered bridge, a right hand turn and a 1/2 mile on Forbidden Drive before the final, horrible, lung busting up hill before the finish. I told myself I wouldn't walk but I did, and so did everybody else. Once we crested the hill I knew it was flat to down hill for the last 1/4 mile and I took off, passing the guy in front, nearly slipping on the tight downhill turns and pushed hard through the finish to keep my lead. 44:09. A minute faster than last year. I know this really doesn't mean I am in better shape than last year, I just raced smarter on a cooler day and it payed off.

Other than the race I've probably run 7 times over the last couple weeks, a mixed bag of trail and road and decent runs and bad runs. Today was 1:26 through Chestnut Hill and the Wissahickon, a meandering hilly route with a mix of paces and the first 35 minutes with the dog. I had to walk the last half mile with him and nearly drag him up the block. I think he'll sleep for the next couple days.