Re-attempt and my brother

I ran an easy six Monday morning before work in about 8:05 pace.

Tonight I decided to go to the track and attempt that damn 2 x 1.5 mile repeat practice that I flubbed on Saturday. As I was doing my warm-up I changed it to a 1.5 rep and a mile rep. I covered my mile warm-up in 8:00 and drove the the middle school track where I ran another mile of strides in 7:27. I had a pretty day with temps right about 68 but with a nice breeze coming out of the Northwest at 10 mph and only 46% humidity.

I stretched out for a few minutes and started my 1.5 mile (2400 meters actually)

1:35.93
1:39.53; 3:15.46
1:32.93; 4:48.39
1:32.91; 6:21.30
1:35.44; 7:56.74
1:35.33; 9:32.07

Not bad but the 1:32s were too fast because 1:35s would have sufficed.

I took 2:00 to breathe and started my 1600 meter workbout.

1:30.86 (DAMMIT!!!)
1:36.81; 3:07.67
1:36.82; 4:44.49
1:35.40; 6:19.89

I have no idea why I opened with a 90 second split but I didn't want to and I need to practice reining myself in or I'll suffer for it in a race.

I'm pretty happy with the practice, happier than with Saturday's anyway. I think the 6:26 pace will feel easy if I can just get myself to run it instead of 6:20.

On a happy note, my brother returned home for his mid-tour leave from Iraq. He got home Saturday night and surprised our mom for Mother's Day. Unfortunately I missed it because Nathan was under the weather. I'm hoping to see him next week as he is taking his girlfriend to Chicago for a Cub's game this weekend.

My Mom just e-mailed me to tell my that one of my brother's friends was killed by an IED today and another two were wounded. This happened last time my brother was in Iraq and went on leave. If you're the praying type include the families in your prayers tonight.

I'm going to go call my brother.