Slouching toward Eugene

I completed another long run this morning.  This time, twenty-two miles.  The weather was cooperative--cool and dry--but my lower body was not.  Especially, my left ankle.  The ankle began to tweak around mile nineteen or so, but I continued to grind to the end.  Probably not the smartest thing.  We'll see how it's doing tomorrow. 

Anyway, barring any continuing problems, I'll do cross-training tomorrow and Saturday, a one-hour maintenance run on Friday and a trail run on Sunday. 

No long run next week--thankfully--but I do have a race scheduled for Saturday, the 23th.  It's the inaugural Run for the Hills 5K at Crow Creek Park in Bettendorf, Iowa--my hometown.  It should be fun. 

The U.S. Track & Field Trials for the London Olympics are coming up soon: June 22-July 1.  For a complete schedule of events, see here:  http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/microsite/article/0,8029,s6-239-569-0-14364-0,00.html

Everything you want to know about the Trials can be found here: http://www.runnersworld.com/olympic-trials

Here's commentator Roger Robinson on the rousing spectacle and high drama of the Trials: http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/microsite/article/0,8029,s6-239-569--12641-1-1X2-3,00.html

Excellent profile of marathoner Shalane Flanagan, who qualified for the U.S. team in the marathon back in January and will also try to make the team in the 10,000 meters at the Trials:  http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-239-567--13858-0,00.html 
Despite the predominance of the African women in the marathon, I wouldn't be surprised to see Shalane on the medal stand in London!

I'm getting excited and the Track & Field Trials is still a couple of weeks away.  I'm especially keen to see the 400, which I ran in high school, the 800, the 5000, and the hurdles.  Other than the 400, I can't explain why the others appeal to me.  Why the 800 but not the 1500?  Why the 5K but not the 10K?  Also, while I'm not excited about the 100 or 200--where's the drama if Usain is healthy?--I love watching the 4 x 100 and 4 x 200 relays.  Sprints are like drag races-- full-speed-ahead, blink-and-you-miss-it--while relays are like carefully-choreographed ballets performed in traffic.  Anyway, I'm excited.