Now that the semester is over, I have Tuesday afternoons free to run. It was still warm and not too windy when I got home, but I lingered at the house for about an hour before setting out for the 10 miler I should have completed on Sunday. The wind had picked up slightly and I could see the usual fog rolling in from the coast, but the day still alternated between clouds and sun, and the temperature was pleasantly mild. I decided to do two loops of my usual 5 mile run - through the panhandle, down to 19th Avenue, and back. Somehow that seemed less daunting than running all the way to the windy beach and climbing back again.
I started slowly, conserving energy throughout the first loop and feeling good all the way. A little achy as I launched into the second loop, but also luxuriously warm and loose. I've learned that I need a long warm up - get me past the 4 mile mark, and I'm good to go; before that, it's a constant fight with myself to stay out there.
Through the panhandle at the end of the second loop, I put on speed and heard a group of homeless kids yell out from a bench, "damn, you're hot, you don't need to jog!" It balances out. Last week a guy yelled "you suck at life" when I didn't have any cigarettes to offer.
The panhandle is the last leg of all my runs, and I usually use it to take my "running temperature" for the day. Today I knew I could have run another loop for a strong 15 miles, and I half decided to do it, but the risk of derailing my already feverish training plan gave me pause. I can't risk injury right now, or the possibility of missing a single one of my long runs. So instead, I picked up speed. How else to end a strong 10 miles but with a sprint?
The run ended up just faster than my last 10 miles, way back on April 1st. Though still slow at an 11:12 minute mile, it was a full :30/mile faster than the training plan called for, and I felt truly great the whole way. I still plan to run all of my scheduled runs for the week, probably tonight and Friday, then run 12 miles Sunday.
In between, a bike ride to work!
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Quite a contrast in the remarks from the vagabonds! Great job on the run. That is the best feeling when you do a long run and there's a lot left in the tank. Keep up the great work!
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