Yeah, so I ran home from work on Tuesday. Why the hell not? Roughly eleven miles, give or take some parking lots, and 95 minutes total (counting the blessed Barnes & Noble water stop on Brodie), 88 minutes running time. If you didn’t know, and I guess I never really thought about it, South Lamar is uphill the whole way. Oh, and it’s directly into the 5 o’clock sun. Brutal, brutal sun. I got a lot of looks from passersby and bus stop flotsam. One guy in a car actually stopped and rolled down his window. I was ready to duck but he just stared for a few seconds, shook his head, waved and drove off. The hardest part? Carrying the laptop! I kid of course.
After the B&N stop it was actually rather pleasant, but I’m not too delusional to admit that first 6 or 7 miles was tough. Lack of water sucked, and our city’s crappy sidewalks, and the clueless drivers and their fuming cars. And did I mention the 5 o’clock sun? No? Well, it was bright and yellow. I forgot my hat, wrapped my shirt like a turban and slogged on. Geez, it was only eleven miles, won’t be an every day thing, but I’ll do it again, wait until the Fall though. Did I mention the 5 o’clock sun?
Tempo this morning, new PR, big surprise that, a needed motivational boost. Driving in this morning I was preparing myself for a sub-par run. “I’m just getting slower and fatter. All this solo slow running is just making me … slow. And fat.” Slow Slow Slow. More cookies please? Sure, pie is fine. Throw in another nine minute mile while you’re at it.
Anyway, a relatively cool morning and no doubles this week conspired I guess for a good run. 6:17, 6:05, 5:45, 5:36. Gilbert yelled 23:47 when I crossed the line but I had 23:45 on my watch. Thanks to the guy I drafted off of (oh no, not that classy move again!) for pulling me to my first time ever under 24 minutes. Well, I didn’t really draft, I just couldn’t catch him (someone said his name was Scott?). I led the first mile then he took over the next 2.5 and ran like a champ while I was happy to be along for the ride. I never felt labored and hit it pretty hard the last 600 meters in my patented “let the other guy do all the work then pass him at the end” move. Gee, I can’t understand why people talk under the breath about me and never want to run with me. Really, I think I was just in a hurry to get home so Jessica wouldn’t be late for work and I could get the kids to school. After the finish I basically ran straight to my car and high-tailed it home.
So anyway, a couple of interesting runs. But the best one was yesterday, when I ran three miles with Jessica. Awww…..