Fall running seems so much easier than summer running

Today was another speed workout for me. I wasn't so sure that I wanted to keep up with the speedwork after the formal sessions were done, but I'm glad that I have so far. I can really tell a difference...finally. Tonight I went back to the snake ridden track in town. I figured that since it was a lot cooler out this week than it had been last week, all of the snakes would be safely hidden away in a warmer location.
I did 1200 meter repeats. The schedule called for four sets of 1200 meters each, which works out to three miles, but my training schedule called for five miles total. Like last week, I decided to run two miles as a warm-up. Unlike last week, I did not almost step on anything creepy crawly that threw me off for the rest of the run. I kept the pace fairly slow, as I also think I did my warm-up laps way too fast last week. I ran the first mile in 8:30 and the second in 8:34...both of which seemed comfortable for me (see what I mean about finally seeing progress?)
The four 1200's I was shooting for a finishing time of 6:03 per repetition. I managed to whip them out in 5:30, 5:40, 5:35, and 5:45. That's almost two whole minutes faster per repetition than I ran them back in June!
I think what's really making a difference for me now is the fact that I'm watching my diet more closely. I've finally realized, after four years of running and three of racing that you only are able to put out the same quality of energy that you put in. You'd have thought that I would have realized that crap in=crappy effort years ago, but you know me...always late to everything. I've also realized that fueling my body with a big dinner before a speedwork session is a recipe to make myself hurl. Since the formal speed sessions are over for the year, I'm able to get out and run around four in the afternoon instead of waiting until seven for the group...so I get to eat after I run, instead of before. What a difference this seems to have made.