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June 14, 2005
Better than Anticipated
It's funny, waking up to the alarm is so much easier when I have to be somewhere. This morning I had grand plans of waking up and getting my run in very early. The alarm was set for 7:30, which by my standards is not really all that early. Anyhow, I could not drag myself out of bed for anything. I ended up hitting the snooze button until 8:00...and I absolutely hate it when people snooze for half an hour! If you're going to get up at 8, set the alarm for 8-don't subject others to your beeping alarm. This seems to happen to me every year at the end of the school year, my body cries out for all of the sleep that I have deprived it of and sleeps alot.
Based on my tentative plans for the week, today was the best day to do a "long" run. Since there is a heat advisory in effect for today and tomorrow, I decided that my best option was to run on the trail that I ran on Sunday. Since I planned to go longer, I backed off some and tried to stay pretty relaxed. I ended up doing two full out and backs on the trail. I did the first out and back in about 39:50 and the second out and back in about 38:50. I decided that I would turn around and run until I hit a nice, even 80:00. My guess is that I ran about 11 miles. I scared the living daylights out of two older women who were walking. I came up behind them and said, as calmly as possible, "runner back". Well they both jumped up like they had never had a runner come up behind them in their lives. On the second out and back, some man told me that I had a really nice stride.
I was unsure of how this morning's run was going to turn out. I have not done any track work since early May. My back feels kind of out of whack, if I had some insurance I would try to get it adjusted, but that will just have to wait a while. I have also had some pretty terrible runs the morning after doing a track workout. I also have not run that long in about six weeks. I felt really good. In fact, I didn't realize how far out I was until I was at the turnaround. In all I think that part of the reason today turned out so well was that I was by myself and did not have to talk to someone or anything else.
During the day I did some errands, like going to Trader Joe's to get some much needed food. This afternoon I went to the gym and rode the bike for an hour. The magazine selection is still pretty lame. I found two so-so magazines to read. Lucky for me I saw S and K my last five minutes on the bike when I was done reading the magazines and could talk to them to finish out the ride. I stretched some to try to hit the sore piriformis. It is feeling better and my back is starting to feel a little less off. After that I lifted some, but my heart was not really in it.
According to the weatherman, only one more day of hot weather!
Posted by Blondie at June 14, 2005 07:27 PM
Comments
hmm...i have never heard the "runner back" phrase. interesting. on bike i usually go with the traditional "on your left" and on foot i usually say "excuse me." i wonder if it's something particular to your location? i just can't believe i've never heard it! maybe it's b/c no one ever passes me...um...yeah...
Posted by: Audrey at June 14, 2005 08:29 PM
I'm glad your long run went well! The day after a workout (especially when the workout was at night and the run the next morning) is always hard for me too!
Posted by: Beth at June 14, 2005 09:13 PM
Awesome run! My sister tells me that I run like the awkward looking runner from Chariots of Fire so I never hear people say, "Nice stride" as I run by. They must look at me slop by and cringe! Ah, the beauty of an ugly stride. I just tell myself, "well, Paula Radcliffe doesn't have the most beautiful stride in the running world." I am rambling - I envy your running stride!
I also love Trader Joe's! I need to eat healthier - I am in the midst of a junk food/candy phase.
Posted by: bridget at June 15, 2005 11:34 PM