Long Runs are Over!

Not that I am complaining about long runs but the last one on my current training schedule finished up this morning; and it was good.
Since Tuesday's "alcoholics' revenge run" I did a perky 9:00 pace 5K run on Wednesday and a perkier 9:00 pace 8.2 mile run on Thursday. The latter got me back in the groove.
On Friday one of the two guys I know from Orlando who is going down to Miami for the race at the end of the month called me. First he had to report a Honda Civic that did the Starsky & Hutch death defying drive off a 60-foot high embankment down onto his high school outdoor basketball courts. The dufus driving ended up on his roof. Nobody was hurt and the driver limped off, apparently bleeding, into an adjacent apartment complex for university students. Does that give you an idea of who the driver was? Once we got past that boring stuff we talked about training and the race.
D. said he and J. were going to run ~20 miles Saturday morning at 530. I asked how fast they would be going and he said "slow." I asked for a definition and he said 9:00 pace or so. I said, "That might be more than I want but I'll see you tomorrow."
I showed up at the appointed time. D. was 20 minutes late. The outside temps were as cold as they've been down here all "winter" - 35 degrees. I had on tights, gloves, cap and two and one-half layers of dri-fit. When the wind picked up later in the run I was glad for my wardrobe selection.
We started out and talked a lot to get to know each other. It was fun because we're all in the education administration business. So complex, most humble common and even educated people couldn't fathom what all we have to deal with. Anyway, we were well stocked in Gu but no water or Gatorade. These guys are a couple of 30-somethings who have not planned their training nearly as anally as I have, I guess. They just go on instinct.
Well I enticed them with a route that ran back to Winter Park and through all the high rent neighborhoods (rent=mortgage; what's the difference? The bank owns it). They bit and so I programmed in all my water stops from Sunday runs. We had a few detours so I could show 'em so-and-so's house, etc. We ran by my house and back to J's house (the start).
SueandPaul's pedometer told me it was 19.25 miles that we covered in 3 hours and 6 minutes; a lousy 9:40 pace. For all the yacking we did, I can understand why we were slower. It felt faster but that must have been the mirage of talking so much that time just flew on by.
Tomorrow I'll go 5 miles or so; then it's a slow down couple of weeks as the taper begins.
I am planning my next race so not to fall into a doldrum depression when Miami is done. I am thinking the Gasparilla races in Tampa, February 25-26, and/or the River Run in Jacksonville March 12. Always set a goal. It keeps you up.

P.S. Good luck to racers Michelle (Disney) and jeff (OC) this weekend!