Captain Speedypants I am not

But still, I've been having some fantastic runs lately.
Ah, fall. Perfect running weather, but so tragically shortlived. I can't help but feel a twinge of sadness as I run across the causeway, and see the perfectly glass-like surface of Pleasure Bay. This too, shall pass.
Last week, after my miserable 800s fail, I took some time off from running for the rest of the week. Did I feel a little guilty about missing my scheduled tempo run AND 10-miler? Yes. Yes I did. Especially because it had only 70% to do with "I'm tired" and 20% to do with beer. Or maybe the reverse.
Anyhoo, I've sworn off the track. With my relatively well-calibrated Nike+ system, I can do intervals on the road, which I much prefer to the monotony and wind-in-my-facedness of the Dot track.
Monday night I did an amazing 6-miler, most of which was a tempo run. I'd planned on doing 4 miles at tempo, but was already warmed up from a long walk home, so I set off at a jog and them kicked it up to a 9:45 or so pace for the remainder. When I realized I was about to close in on under an hour, I kicked it up and sprinted up 1st Street towards M Street field to make 6.01 miles at 59:52. When I got to the end, gasping for air and laughing, I was so glad I'd decided to run instead of study (though that decision had me falling asleep in bed reading Montaigne the next night, but I digress).
Last night I did 800s/half mile repeats along the same route, sometimes with a pace under 8:30. And managed to do all 4 of them, each faster than the first. Ending, again, at M Street field. Again, out of breath and laughing, limping up the stairs, and doing some stretches in the grass while the neighborhood men's beer league had their softball championships.
I'm definitely set in my running route ways by now. I love this route so much I can't see changing it, but I know I need to. I have a terrifying 8 mile tempo run on my schedule (UGH) and that is just not going to fit in with my carefully planned out down-the-coast-around-an-island-and-ending-at-a-ballpark perfect running route.
Saturday I'm going to get that 10-miler in.