When everything just falls into place

I love perfect runs--those ones when everything just falls into place.

My 12-miler on Sunday was one of those runs. I wasn't expecting it to be--it was my last "race sim" run before the half, I was doing it alone (instead of with my husband), and it was a hot day.

But for whatever reason, once I got out on the road, everything was perfect. I was running in a nearby town, and my route took me through some lovely neighborhoods and out into the country, where I passed horse pastures, farmland and vineyards. Peaceful, beautiful, perfect.

It had been a tough week, and I think I needed a good run, out away from everything. Of course, my brand-new shoes (and socks!) didn't hurt, either. The sun was fairly high in the sky by the time I finished, but I didn't feel uncomfortably hot. The fuel belt, which I usually "let" my husband wear, didn't bother me (though I did discover one chafed spot on my back when I got home). The Cytomax, which I was trying out pre-race, on the hunch that lack of sodium contributed to my poor performance in June, was not exactly delicious, but did its job well. Everything just worked on Sunday.

I was pleased to discover, at the end of the run, that my pace had reflected the way I felt. My overall pace was 10:10, and my pace for the second half--the "race sim" portion--was about 9:10. If I can pull it together and keep that pace on the 4th, I'll be a happy, happy runner.