Don't let the age fool you.

So, every Tuesday morning, I run with a group of folks from Luke's Locker. A few are younger than me, but most are older, like mid to late 40s. Of course, all you gotta do is look in the paper every weekend at the 5k times of some of the 40- and 50-somethings to know that age never matters when it comes to running speed. This morning, during the last few miles of a 6-mile tempo run, I'm pacing along at about an 8 minute mile with a guy who has to be at least 50-something. And every time we hit a mile, he'd say, "that's an 8:04 pace." I'm like, "where did he get the wind to say that?" What's worse is that just a few steps behind were two other runners, one 40-something and another 20-something, talking about their running like they were just walking in the park. The 20-something, a woman, was saying she was going to run a 50-mile race, and talked of overcoming a broken heel by running too slow. The 40-something, a guy named Richard, is usually the fastest in the bunch (and at 6-3, he is definitely the tallest), and he was pacing along talking about injuries and running in this month's Cowtown marathon. Again, I'm sucking wind hoping that this run is over soon. I finished the 6.15 mile course in 49:50, about an 8:10 pace. Heart rate didn't go crazy like last week, mainly because it was 20 degrees cooler. I also felt good when I woke up this morning and I suppose its because I didn't have my customary two glasses of wine the night before. I'm going to try this no drinking thing during the week and see where it takes me in my running. I'm running the 10K at Cowtown and should easily pop a PR.