29 jul 2012

it was a nice day for a run.

i was only looking for an easy 30 minutes, so i laced up and jogged into the neighborhood, sort of undecided where i was headed. there're four good routes back in there, two of which i use a lot, one sometimes, and one rarely. i was headed to one of the two "a lot" routes when i changed my mind and went with rarelyroute.

rarelyroute is a 3-mile out and back. you go .7mi up a hill, .8 down the other side, then turn around and do the reverse -- .8 up, .7 down.

the weather was great - sort of warmish but not hot, slight breeze. i was jogging along well, good pace, even stride, really enjoying the sound of my footfalls and my breathing, wondering if people who use ipods while they're running have any idea what they're missing. my legs were feeling fine, not tired, so it wasn't slapping or dragging... just a sweet sound, shoe hitting pavement.

the .7 up isn't too hard because i'm still fresh, just listening to my feet and looking at my neighbors' lawnscapings. at .7 i tip downhill and it's really nice on the backside here, with some shade, an interesting rockwall, the downhillness. i'm wondering why i don't use this route more often. at the last .25 is a field and in that field there's a fine looking chestnut horse munching grass and i am like "hullow, horse" and horse just looks at me.

i am struck here by a profound sense of my being both alone and empowered. i start daydreaming that i am leading the olympic marathon. i am so far out in front that there's no one around. i am strong and happy.

circle the cul-de-sac and head into the .8 uphill. this is the part that always gets me. this is why i don't use this route. the .8 uphill is HARD. but, i am an olympian, right? what would an olympian do? certainly not stop. ergo: steady on, ace! i pull the old "next mailbox" trick out of my bag and steady on, steady on, up the hill. i put away my olympic thoughts and think about you. what i am going to tell you? i really want to tell you that i did not quit, so i do not quit. i am thinking an 11min pace on this section would be quite solid. i hit the high point and just before i tip back downhill, i glance at my garmin. pace = 9:37. THAT'S WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT.

all that remains is .7 downhill home. easy peasy and that's it.

it was a nice day for a run.