The "Long" Run

Finding time to get in a "long" run takes creativity (the term "long" is relative--- your long run may be near or far-- "long" is whatever goal seems just out of reach)

Finding the courage to even try- takes naïveté.

na·ive·téNoun/ˌnīˌēv(ə)ˈtā/
1. Lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment.
2. Innocence or unsophistication.
Merriam-Webster
The Free Dictionary


I think today:
1. -"lacking experience, wisdom or judgement", pretty much sums me up-
*************

The run had a nice start.

Good feel to cadence, easy breathing...

Worked a little on pace by way of keeping foot tempo the same, but lengthening stride- found that my shoulders tensed up every time- so backed off and just ran-



Air was cool-

I've been running early lately-
VERY early for me-

It's interesting to notice your senses peaked by the slightest things when running alone in the quiet-

I've discovered 4am is cooler than 5-

6 is also cooler than 5-

Weird-- but it's been that way with each of the last 4 runs--- could it be that I heat up after first hour, and relax toward the end of my run- cooling off?

Hmm

I've discovered I have a keen awareness of the presence of dogs- (was nipped at once-- tore a hole in my running pants--I will never be the same)

Today I knew I heard the slightest jingling of a dog collar- KNEW it----- this at 4:15am dark, dark, dark---couldn't see the dog-- until I spotted it behind me about 100 yards--- master in tow (thank goodness)

I've discovered when I'm running, I have an aversion to smells- especially food smells--
Why must someone be frying something- anything- at 5 am is beyond me-

But back to the run--
I'm in the moment- everything's ticking along like clockwork, I choose rather than turn off on Butler, to go up to Dustin--I turn off into the neighborhood, and check my mileage.

What!?
My phone has gone wonky! Endomondo has stopped logging my miles- argggg

What to do-

I restart Endomondo, and try to figure mileage left to go, in my head...

The safe side of me wanted to call it a day- take 30th
Go LEFT
toward home-

The crazy side wanted to complete this run-

I went RIGHT-

This was the runners' version of Frost's "Two Roads Diverged in a Yellow Wood"

But today I was NOT sorry I could not travel both! Ha!

Heading up 30th to pinion hills, proved a bit scary- no lights- a sliver of road- a hill.

But what greeted me at the top scared me more-

I realized just exactly where I was--- and could visualize just how far I had left to go.

I gathered what wits I had left and ran. At first it felt fabulous, but soon fatigue from the previous miles, coupled with my anxiousness for what lie ahead- plagued me.

I noticed my left heel, the back of my right knee, the weakness- was I shaking?

I couldn't stop, but I had to slow down- now I was really starting to cave-

Did I go too far?

Would this be my "half"?

I wasn't ready-
I hadn't run my best-
My stinking phone wasn't working!!!!! Arggg!

I tried to focus on the task-
I have to get home-
Short cut- that's what I needed-

If I could just get to Butler, I could take the short cut road through the college- I had to try-

Butler seemed forever away, but I did finally make it.

Still anxious, I worried.

And worried.

And worried.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear-- but my brother-in-law Mike who calmed all my fears! Heehee

Mike is the family marathon-er
We're talking crazy runner--- 20-30 under his belt, many top 10 finishes locally, ran the Boston-- you get the picture.

He simply ran with me for a half block- told me I had about 1 and a 1/2 miles left- made me feel like I could make it-and was gone as quickly as he came. Man- can he run!

I made it through the college short cut, and home-






*sigh*

My wonky phone said only 10 miles-- that WAS my goal, but I knew it had to be wrong-- surely I'd run farther-

so I drove it--


Drat- only 10

10?!

I RAN TEN STINKING MILES!!!!!

I never thought I'd run ten-- always seemed just out of reach-

Guess THAT is a long run for me!

Oh wait--- WAS a long run!