Perfect conditions

Conditions were, for a change, optimal for a long run this morning. The temperature was in the low 60s and humidity was low. Mike and I went to English Landing, figuring it would be the last time in weeks that we'd be able to run there. The whole area is expected to be flooded by the middle of next week after they open the Gavin's Point Dam in South Dakota. The little town of Parkville, which is next to English Landing Park and a stone's throw from the Missouri, has erected two 4-foot dams, one made of sandbags and the other of metal and canvas. The hope is they can avoid having the downtown area flooded. The park itself is being offered up to the flood gods.

The Missouri is very high, but still about 6 or 7 feet below bank-full, and moving swiftly. You would not want to be out on or in it.

To begin we ran west along the river on a dirt farm road that eventually curves north and hooks up to a highway leading back to Parkville. Everything went fine until the 2.6 mile mark, when Mike's knee started hurting. It looked for all the world that I'd have to run back to town to get the car and go back and get him, but after a 10-min. walk, his knee was suddenly fine again. We ran back to the park on the highway stronger than ever, and completed another 3 miles after that for a grand total of 8 miles. Our splits improved each mile, and the final average pace was 10:03, which is just about perfect for a long run.