Saturday, July 07, 2007

Pavement Pounder who?

Hello there my long lost running friends. I have seen the light and am returning to the flock after having been the wayward runner. No more Paris Hilton lockdown for me, although Larry King doesn't seem to have noticed.

I owe you a post. I owe you a post that has nothing to do with my dissertation. It'll be hard, but here I go.

I ran. I really did it! I ran. I ran a whole whopping 4 miles yesterday. While it was a real struggle after mile 1, I pushed through and at least completed it. I told myself starting out that I couldn't expect the times that I had run over a month ago, which I was fine with. I told myself, the big goal was actually just to finish four miles - I don't know why, but four miles has now become my standard minimum distance, anything below that feels like something other than a run.

It is utterly amazing how a month of minimal running - I had run a total of 15.5 miles in the last month, a distance that before I would have easily run in a week- can make you feel like you are starting over at square one. Furthermore, who knew how quickly all that muscletone disappears and is replaced by fat. Booooo!!!!

I have a sneeking suspicion, however, that had it not been in the 80s with 85% humidity at 7:30 at night, I wouldn't have felt so totally annihilated. But there is just no getting away from this weather. According to weather.com, I could run at 1 am and it would still feel like 88 degrees and be 90% humidity. So I just have to become a reptile and develop gills until September comes around.

Back to running/not running. Over the last month I had run a few 4 milers but mostly just short 1.5-2milers with Ben. While they weren't satisfying, they at least kept me in the mindset of running, which is important. And while I hated almost every minute of last night's run - like Deetschei, when I run, I normally use the time to think about other things, but this time I couldn't think about anything other than breathing and not passing out from heat exhaustion - it felt really great! I put on a new pair of running shoes. I had been having horrible half pains despite the infrequent running, so I thought a change of shoes might help, which it did. Tonight I will not, however, wear a baseball cap. With all that hair on my head, the last thing I need is yet another layer of insulation to keep the heat from escaping. So, kids. I am slowly making a comeback and hopefully I haven't put myself too far behind for my marathon training plan. As it stands now, I should be back at my previous pace before I need to start the actually training in August/Sept.

Running Stats for yesterday:
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 35.06 (okay, so I know that doesn't sound like a bad time, but that doesn't include the stops every mile in order to catch my breath and bend over to get the blood back into my head)
Pace: 8:46
Overall Impression: Remember pickled red beet eggs? Well, my face was that kind of red and it wasn't a sunburn! I liked it so much, I'm gonna do it agian. (RPRBE?WMFWTKORAIWAS!ILISMIGDIA)

More posts to come!

2 comments:

Sixpack Chopra said...

Awesome!!!! Welcome back PP!! It's yours. Own it. I know the feeling of that run. I don't envy the heat and humidity, bu you are going to be the best prepared for the marathon because you are training there!!!!

Keep it up. I've got your back. Picture of Don in speedo coming soon.

Clyde S. Dale said...

Good to hear from you PP. I have missed your posts. I would soooo happy with a 1.5 mile run right now I am half tempted to go out and atleast run a mile in the morning. Oh and we are having similar weather in wisconsin right now.