6.20 miles in 51:27

connect.garmin.com/activity/170135074

i really wanted to run the 15-miler that i didn't do last week, but i didn't have time for that kind of mileage this morning. i settled for a quick 10K instead. i'll get to the longer runs soon enough.

it was cool out at 37 degrees. thankfully, there wasn't much wind so the wind chill wasn't too bad. i didn't even wear anything over my ears. the only addition to what i've been wearing was light gloves. i almost went without them. i'm glad i didn't. i was really comfortable the whole time.

i headed out to highway 61 by way of school, parkview, parkway, maple. on the highway, i turned north and headed out of town past pratt community college, younie's landscaping and the industrial buildings. i met only one car after leaving the city limits. they saw my knuckle lights and moved over to the other lane and left me alone.

when i reached 20th, i turned west and ran across to highway 281. surprisingly, on this little back road i met up with three cars. it is a shortcut to the middle of town if you know it, but i wasn't expecting anyone as early as i was out on a saturday. i wonder if there's always that much traffic. i know you big city folks are laughing. "three cars isn't traffic!"

i reached 281 and headed south toward town. i kept my knuckle lights off and ran lightly for the first half mile or so. i didn't want to wake the one dog i knew lived along my route. not that he's a viscous pit bull. i just didn't want to deal with anything canine. grrrrr!

as i neared the north edge of town, i happened to glance at my garmin. it read 5.2 miles. the time was 43 minutes plus a bit. i figured if i ran the next mile fast, i could beat 54 minutes again and make the skinny kid (me in high school) cry. i picked up my pace and ran that last mile in under 8:00. i was glad i hit 6.2 miles just before i had to climb that stupid little hill on school that always slows me down.

i stopped my watch and walked the rest of the way home to cool down. wish i could've run further, but i'm pleased with what i could do. time to get ready for the church work day now.