A hectic morning routine kept me from running my planned nine this morning, but I still got in a respectable seven and no, it didn't really feel all that much cooler, even though rationally I know that it was. I guess there is something to be said for the availability of air that is legitimately of a lower temperature than the body into which it is being inhaled, but the volume of saline liquid that continued to stream copiously from my brow and into my eyes belied that the conditions were truly any more hospitable to human exertion. (Was that a sentence or what?) I loaded up on the gatorade before I headed out and made frequent stops for water, so I've managed to avoid the dehydration headache that often nags me after these little sub-saharan jaunts.
At water stop #2 I ran into a young woman that I used to work with (who wisely left this dissipated company the first chance she got) and chatted briefly with her about her training. I see her out in the park nearly every morning, floating along at an alarmingly rapid pace with her training partners, like a bouncy pack of gazelles. She does indeed have her sights set on an Olympic qualifying time this fall in Chicago and just hearing her say that triggered a glandular surge of jealous bile because I know, with a 1:20 half already under her belt, she is almost certainly capable of reaching that goal.
What a horrible emotion. It's not like other people's success in any way hinders my own, but I still feel such a pang of longing when I hear that someone else is getting close to that place that I so badly want to be. Why can't I just be happy when I hear about other runners' proud accomplishments? I honestly don't think I'm a bitter person and I definitely appreciate that I am very fortunate to have the natural abilities that I do, but still, just that feeling of almost painful yearning...I guess that's the hunger that drives me. I guess as long as the cravings for an ambition are more uncomfortable that the efforts required to reach that goal, the impetus remains to strive and suffer and aspire.