I didn't know it was coming but I hit the 40 mile mark this week. I have not consistently logged my miles in a couple years but I don't think I've hit 40 miles since the spring of 2009, training for the National Marathon. It feels good. I have a good bit of traveling over the next couple weeks, I just hope I can keep it up.

On Saturday I joined the Green Lake group for what I consider my long run. Initially I planned on 10 miles. A few miles in I was running with two new guys, younger guys and I got the feeling they were faster guys. We were cruising along the the route that the group leader had mapped out but decided we were all feeling good and tacked a few more to hit nearly 13 miles.

The group has not attracted many speedy people in the time I've run with them and it was great to pick up the pace with company in the last few miles. One runner had finished college a year ago where he was on the Georgetown cross-country team. This was all a light jog for him.

None of us whined about the miles or the hills we just ran, talked when we had something to say and the rest of the time enjoyed the sweat. 12+ miles in 90 some minutes.

This afternoon I again ran down to the Ballard locks for a trip into the Magnolia section of the city. Started into a stiff breeze and building rain but thankfully it passed a mile or so in. Kept the pace easy and felt decent. Nearly 8 miles in around 60 minutes.