Running from the rain

So, after much talk about running a 5k in Westfield this weekend, Julie and I decided not to do so. Instead, we decided to take our time getting ready before heading to The Big E.

Of course, that means that we had to run today. And we did. It was by far the most difficult run I've had since starting this project. How far was it? Not even three miles. I could run three miles in my sleep at this point. Three miles is just warming up and really getting into the groove. A few months ago, three miles might have been daunting, but this is not the case these days.

I have been turning it over in my head as to why every second of this run hurt. I mean, the first mile is always a little tough, but every single step today was a battle. While I can't really blame one thing in particular, I can definitely say that exhaustion, having a terrible cold, the weather being 75 degrees with 90 percent humidity and a delicious breakfast in my immediate future probably had something to do with it.

iRun

One of my first thoughts after realizing that I would not be able to listen my iPod while running the marathon was, "No way." I vowed that I would try to slowly wean myself off of the iPod, but that was probably going to be more towards the 2009 end of things. Then, tragedy struck. I had to run 10 miles without my iPod, a daunting prospect. But it wasn't that bad. I realized that I actually prefer running without one and haven't run with music since.

It sounds crazy, I know. I would have laughed in your face if you told me that I would voluntarily run without music to distract me, but here I am. I can remember reading running articles in which the author describes running as meditation or reaching a zen-like state of mind. I never bought that. Running is hard. It still is, but that's part of why I like it. But now I get what all of those people, I think.

Using your head to push your body 2, 5, 7 miles further when you already feel fatigued -- that's something a lot of people don't engage in on a regular basis. There's a reason why half of all cross-country shirts ever made say "mind over matter." Listening to music let me tune out what my body was feeling and why. In fact, life can be a lot like that. You can choose to tune out and find things to help you do that, or you can face it head on and really dig in. I feel like I do that when I run. Eventually, my mind and my body find an agreement and I just run. And run and run.

Before that agreement can happen though, I have an argument with myself that goes something like this:

Me: Yeah, this actually is not even a good idea. And my ankle huuuuurts. You can probably just stop and go back home now. Stopping this running thing will probably make it feel a lot better.
Me: Mmmm, yeah, but I'm supposed to run seven miles today.
Me: Pffft. Pleaaaaase. I am wheezing over here.
Me: No, no, how about I run over the Mass Ave bridge and see how that goes? If running continues be this unpleasant, I'll stop. If I don't finish this workout, I'm going to blog about it and I really don't want to say that I gave up on a run for no reason. So I'm going to keep going.
Me: Okay, yeah, that isn't that far. Besides, I kind of want to be able to say I ran seven miles today...

fall

My answer is "yes" to Christine Luff's article "Fall - The Ideal Running Season?" published Monday on About.com (I know it sounds silly that I refer to this website, but their running advice is extremely helpful). She talks about feeding off the energy of other runners who are also pumped about autumn, an improvement in overall temperature and the changing color of leaves. As someone from Western Mass, I can more than identify with her affinity for fall foliage. I went for my first run of the season last night.

It brought me around the Fens and to the medical district. After envisioning the Longwood Avenue hill, I expected my route to be at least remotely hilly. I braced myself. Then Francis Street presented the slightest impression of a hill and I soon found myself approaching Brigham Circle. Yes, there were a lot of hills last night. But most of them were downhill. Hrm. I chose to endure a little extra workout by climbing up the six flights of stairs leading to my apartment when I got home. This is a fairly regular practice, but still leaves me panting most of the time. Last night, I must have been extremely excited - or extremely out of it - because I passed my floor and kept going. Um, woops. And that was that.

Maps

Maps and I have a very special relationship. So special that, when my computer started playing "Maps" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs earlier, it immediately broke me out of the my-brain-is-numb-from-too-much-reading slump. Maps are magical. This spring would not have been the same without them. And I'm pretty sure they've helped out other people at one point or another. Maps rule. Which is why it's only natural that I'd want to add them to my blog.

Plus, I think as the previous post demonstrates, pictures add a whole new dimension to Life Ain't A Track Meet. Please view the map below to see today's run.

It was one of the hilliest five miles I've experienced in a while. Brutal. The worst part by far was Jamaicaway's terrible hills. By that point, I was ready for the run to be over so my mind wasn't really in the game anymore and my lungs were less than thrilled. But I put in the extra effort at the end and finished strong. I was pleased with myself. And it was brilliant to hang out with Padmani afterward.

Indeed I can run it, run it

Julie and I conquered the Big Dog 5K this morning! We met up at 8:30 for some much-needed sustenance and coffee from Espresso Royale. After that, we headed over in the early morning chill to the Esplanade. Julie got her very first number for a race, which is very cool. She was 167, I was 168. Not surprising, considering we signed up for the race together.

As usual, we were there entirely too early, so we spent a lot of time scoping out the scene, stretching and listening to Brian Bergeron playing live before the race.

I've never actually run in a race outside of school ones, so this was definitely interesting. This race wasn't seeded at all either (why would it be?), so the first two or three minutes after the gun went off, I spent most of my time trying to navigate past people. It was frustrating because I was running slower than I wanted to for those first few minutes, but that's okay.

My first mile split was 7:23. The distance between mile 1 and mile 2 seemed much further. The last mile and a tenth was definitely the slowest, but I finished 21st for the ladies in 23:49. I stand by my statement that middle school me would have whooped me in this race. Even though this was only a 5K, it made me remember how different running for training runs and running for races is.

I am sure Julie knows this, but her much better (25:13!) 5K time does not appear in a Google search. Yet. I guess we'll have to keep running these things to knock that other time out of the 50 links or so associated with her name.