agonist/antigonist

 Having determined the performance in the open race at the Eastbay Northeast regional "good enough," I tentatively decided to prolong my cross country season for two more weeks in hopes of additional recovery of the Achilles tendon and time to regain some fitness before the USATF club cross country championships in Tallahassee. Upon returning from New York, I signed up unattached for club nationals, essentially hoping not to get last place in the competition. Unfortunately, despite neither increasing mileage nor intensity the following week of training, the Achilles did not recover well following the race at Van Cortlandt Park. The Saturday before nationals, the situation was looking bleak: the Achilles was still not recovered, but I needed a workout to flash some fitness to myself and justify making the trip. Remembering the response I got from the C & O canal surface two weeks prior, I drove to Point of Rocks for a short tempo run on the gravel. While the pace was respe