Saturday's Long Run

OK, I need ya to read carefully and pay attention, or you're likely to be in completely the wrong place Saturday morning.

Our run starts at the NORTH (Gateway) Whole Foods Saturday morning, at 7am SHARP.

We're running point-to-point, from the Whole Foods at Gateway to the Whole Foods at Sixth and Lamar. Yes, this is an obvious and blatant throwback to those of us who remember the RunTex to RunTex runs (that predate a lot of running groups). I like the idea of point-to-point, because I think you get a different appreciation of the distance you're covering. Our route, though, is pretty dramatically different once we get west of Mopac.

Anyway, this requires us to carpool and coordinate transportation. Accordingly, here's your instructions:

1. Meet at 6:30 at the Whole Foods at SIXTH AND LAMAR. The downtown one. Our regular meeting place.
2. If you don't mind carpooling people, park near our meeting spot. Otherwise, please park on the street or at least in the garage. We need to stop taking up so many of their parking spots.
3. We'll carpool to Whole Foods North.
4. We'll start running at 7am SHARP. More on this in a moment.
5. Once we finish running, we'll need a few people to cart the original carpool drivers back up north to their cars.

If you bring a bag with dry clothes and a towel or whatever for after the run, I'll carry it in my car and have it for you at the end of the run.

We've been getting sloppy with being punctual. I have, too, largely because I run around and set water out. I'll have help with water stops this weekend, though, so I will be on time.

You cannot afford to be late on race morning. You can't even really afford to barely make it on race morning. Part of the discipline involved in all this is punctuality and reliability, right? So, be punctual and reliable from here on out. We've got six more Saturday long runs - it's time to start making some real commitments:

1. Commit to hydrating and getting your electolytes during the week.
2. Commit to getting your stuff together the night before.
3. Commit to getting to bed at a reasonable hour.
4. Commit to getting up, eating, and being ready to run when you leave your place.
5. Commit to getting to the run and being ready to run, on time.

None of this is really a lot to ask - it's just about making the choice. And it's not just for you, it's for your teammates, too. People are counting on you, whether you realize it or not.

This is going to be a great run - the half marathoners will be peaking their distance, and marathoners will hit 20. Be ready for it and enjoy it.