Run easy? -- Updated

UPDATE: I will be running in masters sprint races this season.

I hope to run the 55m and the 200m at the Holiday Classic at RIT on 12/27. and the 55m at the Ed Temple Classic in Nashville on 1/11.
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I've returned to running a bit. Not the ambitious 5 day a week training I did last season, but the knee seems ok to run 2 to 3 times a week. I'm alternating running with swimming. I doubt I'll run any 5k races this year since I don't want to train the way I did. Don't think my knee would stand up to it. I did want to run in some masters sprint races this season but was really disappointed that the AL Track Club is not offering meets this year at Priceville.

Anyway, despite my lack of training and weighing 10 lbs more than I did during last racing season, I've had a few good workouts this week. Hopefully this is just the beginning and I'll get back to my racing weight of 140 - 142, then we'll see.

Fri:
1 mile - 6:42
6 min rest
3 miles - 21:36 (7:12 pace)
10 min rest
1 mile - 6:32

Sun:
3 miles - 21:32 (7:11 pace)
6 min rest
quarter mile sprint - 1:06

Tues:
6 x half mile intervals - 3:04 avg
3 min rest in between
2:47
3:12
3:12
3:11
3:10
3:01

I can't seem to run slow easy distance. Since I want to limit myself to no more than 10 miles a week, I need to make them count. Coach says I could still be fast by cross-training, doing good cardio training in the pool. I did my first set of intervals in the pool on Sat and I think he's right.

Anyway, speaking of running fast, I saw this ad for Pearl Izumi running shoes in USATF mag and I wanted to copy it here for those of us who endure the pavement:

RUN EASY IS AN OXYMORON
What is it about running that scares people so much? Why do people feel they have to put friendly modifiers next to running so everyone can feel good about it? Well, here's the ugly truth. Everyone shouldn't feel good about running. It's hard. It hurts. Running requires sacrifice, heart, and guts. Any attempt to water it down with feel good adjectives is a slap in the face to those of us who still hold running sacred. In fact, if you're running easy, odds are you're not running at all. You're jogging! So, do us a favor, don't run easy. Run hard. Run like an animal.

heh....