Of course it’s boring, that’s the point

It feels out there. I mean, it’s a major rush. I mean, it feels radical in kind of a tubular sort of way, but most of all, it feels out there.

Know what I mean? I ran 16 miles on Saturday (all at once!), my longest run ever, and get this, most of it (13 miles worth) was solo. And, as my five-year old likes to say, “it was awesome!”

Started at 6am at RunTex with the group, the weather cool and drizzly, the route Lake Austin Blvd, Exposition, 35th, Shoal Creek, turn around at Allandale. Gilbert set up water at 12th and Expo, but I breezed by and from there on I was running alone. Another water stop at 6 miles and 47:22 and Gilbert said, “you’re running too fast. You need to run with the group.” “Who am I going to run with?” There was no one around, in front or behind. Then he said, “Don’t you do Oklahoma! I know you’re thinking about it.” Uh, actually, not at all. Then, “you need to do a fast Marathon.” Who said anything about a Marathon?

I ended up running the 16 in 1h53m. 61 minutes out, 52 minutes back. That doesn’t seem right, but that’s what the map and my watch say. I never felt like I was running that fast. It was the easiest 16 miles I’ve ever done (haha), though I will admit I was running numb around mile 14. What’s weird is that when I started that morning I had no aches or soreness, which I always have, and when I finished I wasn’t ravenous or sore the rest of the day, which I usually am after long runs. Maybe it was the super-easy 4 miles I ran on Friday with Jess (she did 7 by the way). Could it be a real recovery run (even though I was pushing my five-year old in a stroller the whole way)?

That put me at 49 miles for the week, and I thought about just doing 1 on Sunday to call it an even fifty, but I rode my bike instead. And I felt great. Still no after effects?

Then Monday came. No firecracker crew and I bludgeoned my way through 7 miles alone on the trail, ignoring Ivi and all comers. Tuesday I lollygagged through three 2000s at Zilker. You know what that makes me? A lollygagger. Times were 7.28, 7.18, 7.26, my fastest ever, but I still felt worthless and weak, and Pete said, “you quit 10 yards short. If you do it in the workout you’ll do it in a race too.” Maybe, probably, I hope not. Today I squeezed out five. Again, lollygagger.

I’m running the Bun on Sunday. I’d like to bring the heat and announce my presence with authority, but you know what they say, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains.

And remember, candlesticks always make a nice gift. Okay, let’s get two!