Wash Park 7 - Catch Me if You Can

Ran the wash park 7 mile route today with the group. Nice day, sunny in the 50's.
Big Group too...
Dave C, Matt, Jay, Craig C, Chipman, Jeff, Pete C, Bob B and Tom.

We ran together to Cheesman at about the normal pace, but the group was staggered which is rare. The group split up at Cheesman then again at the Bike path. Leaving, Matt, Chipman, Jeff, Bob, Jay and myself.

Then Matt and Chipman picked up the pace and pulled away. Jeff, Bob , Jay and myself kept the normal pace. We got to the turn around point and Matt and Dave were about 2 blocks ahead of us and going strong.

As we started running back Jeff said, you want to try to catch those guys? Jay and Bob wanted to and I wasn't going to run alone, so we picked up the pace to a sub 7 mile. We started gaining on them. They had no idea, they were just running up tempo a bit and chatting.

We were within a block at Speer and then light turned, they made it through on both lights, but we got stopped. So that gives them another 45 seconds. Jeff and Bob took off, determined to catch them by 8th and Franklin. Jay and I started with them at about a 6:30 pace then faded off. I had run a 10k on Saturday and really didn't want a speed workout, so I stayed with Jay.

Bob and Jeff caught them at 8th and Franklin (although they missed a turn). Jay and I were about a half block back when they took off again.

We coasted a bit, then surged as we were within a block at Colfax, but we got caught at the light. They must have really taken off from there because we didn't see them until we got to the Y and we were running about a 7 minute mile pace.

Fun run, different, playing the chase game like that. Maybe next time I'll be the rabbit.
In the locker room some of the runners that went shorter were wondering why we didn't all come back together. Apparently Matt and Bob finished ahead of Jeff and Chipman, then Jay and I.

7 Miles 52 Minutes