L10 Day 15 - Extra Protein

Hadn't been back to Lake Mercer in a month, so I decided to give that place a go before work.  And, let me tell you: spring has certainly sprung for the insect kingdom.  The sunny spots looked something like this:

For the first couple of miles, I thought I was okay in the shady spots.  Then I realized they were everywhere - I just couldn't see them.  After the first four or five hit the back of my throat, I stopped worrying about it.  I thought of them as nature's tiny GU packets.  Once they landed, I couldn't feel them squirm, so aside from the occasional cough, I was okay.

I went further at Lake Mercer than I ever had, going past the feeder trail to the South Run Rec Center; past the flat strip where power lines are run; under Lee Chapel Road; and to within a quarter-mile of Burke Lake.  It would be about 10.5 miles to go from Lake Mercer around Burke Lake and back.  I was well content with 5.38 miles today.  This trail is hilly.  The hills aren't big and long, but there are a lot of short and steep ones.

At the end, I devised a crazy idea - hey, after I climb from lake level to the top of the dam, why don't I break into a run for the last fifth of a mile??  And so I did.  I hadn't been that winded in a long time!  I was all gaspy, like I was being chased by a donkey.  Oh well, it was worth it to know I could average a nine-minute mile pace after jogging five miles in hills.

The lower right leg still seems much improved, so now my worrisome focus is on my left ankle.  I hope it isn't tendonitis.  My friend thinks it's PMS.  I'll have to look that up sometime, but it's Friday night and I'm too busy with the Cabernet.