The Long Run
I lay in bed this morning as the sunlight seeped through the blinds, sunlight? I swear it has been at least a month since Victoria has seen anything but rain. Still, I lay there trying to ignore the inevitable; I wasn’t sure how I was going to get to the start line let alone finish the task that lay ahead of me. Rumon called shortly after I’d poured myself a cup of coffee (yes, I’m back drinking the stuff) and although he tried to inspire me with a new route he’d envisioned, encompassing trails I’d never heard of, it only confused my troubled mind. Thankfully, he arrived on the back porch 30’ later, my long run gradually becoming a reality. After two failed attempts at beginning, once returning to change tops (the sunshine had us befuddled) and a second time to find some misplaced sunglasses we headed north toward Cedar Hill Park.
The first 45’ of the run was absolute shite! I felt exhausted and the prospect of an additional 1h45 was disheartening. Thankfully somewhere between Mount Doug and Rithet’s Bog I found my stride settling into a rhythm that was gong to see my through. After an additional hour, we parted ways, Rumon telling me that I should really stretch my legs as I’d been forced to run at a snail's pace with him (the bugger was just trying to boost my ego, before leaving me in his wake). Regardless, I hopped up onto the Goose and just before the Switch Bridge focused on finding a smooth stride for a few kilometers:
3:59 (149, 152)
3:50 (149, 156)
3:55 (149, 150)
Once off the Goose I had the joy of tracing the waterfront through town on what was the first sun-drenched Sunday in March, i.e. it was hectic, cursing Rumon the entire time. There is just no way to look calm and fashionable with salt stains in the hollows of your cheek, 2+ hours into your jaunt. I did manage to find some humor in the situation. I slowly approached two girls who were sauntering down the sidewalk in front of me, only to have one of them step out to the left as I was trying to pass her. Reacting instinctively (& with some luck), I managed to sidestep her moving up onto the grass boulevard pardoning my actions with a quick “excuse me” (not wanting to startle her). Well, my best intentions aside, she let out a bloodcurdling scream, frightening her friend into doing the same… and my heart to skip a beat. Apologizing between laughs, I continued home with a huge smile on my face.
Training: 2:28:03, AHR 136, MAX 156
6 comments:
I'll usually give a shout "on your left" to upcoming fellow citizens
if you want to hear screams you should be running Boston past Wellesley College
Frightening young girls now. What next?
I either clear my throat or fake a cough. In my experience, 'on your xxxx' leaves women befuddled, causing them to do the ohnowhichwaydoigo dance, and causes men to get territorial, steeling their resolve not to give up any sidewalk to the skinny, fit guy sneaking up behind him.
What next? When you can make babies cry with your appearance alone, you will know you're in shape! Gaunt is beautiful.
I do the fake cough/throat thing too.....you're right it is funny in a perverse way to see people jump out of their skin as you snake by!
I agree cough, clear throat...I often say "on your left".
Yesterday I came up on three horses, the riders were unaware I was there so I got squeezed in between two on the little bridge near Pipeline at south end of Beaver Lake. Had my hand on the horses ass while I jog/walked behind him.
One thing I noticed car drivers do in snakey shoulderless roads like Prospect Lake Road, they pull a full lane over - with all the corners it is very stupid and dangerous and many do it.
Sounds like our long runs started the same, not strong.
Reading about all these long runs makes me kind of miss them a bit! Glad to see you got through this one, even if you've taken to scaring the bejeezus out of folks.
Post a Comment