Gimme Three Steps

’won’t you give me three steps,
Gimme three steps mister,
Gimme three steps towards the door?
Gimme three steps
Gimme three steps mister,
And you’ll never see me no more.’

The first steps out the door are always the hardest! A body at rest wants to stay at rest while a body in motion will continue in motion. I love my runs but some mornings bring those feelings of wanting a day off, staying in bed or just having a morning coffee. I know however, that once I get a few steps into the run, I'm glad I'm out the door and pounding the pavement. Just three steps, those are all I need and you might never see me no more!

It has been a couple of weeks again since writing. I was on vacation in St. John, USVI. I usually don't run much on vacation using it as a rest and recovery week. However, vacation fell a bit late into my marathon training. I figured I should at least keep up my fitness level and try hard not to lose anything. I didn't feel I needed to gain, just not lose anything. I ran everyday averaging about 3 miles a day but on some nice steep hills which actually may have helped me gain some leg strength if today's run is any indication. More on that in a minute. Baltimore has a climb starting at mile 16 - 22. I beleive I will be prepared well for it this year as I have been doing hill work and running my long runs over hills. St. John has hot as usual but not any worse than the garden state. The island, in general, is not too conducive to running. Certainly, by the looks I was getting, they were not too use to seeing many runenrs out and about. They do ahve a wonderful race that runs 8 miles (8 TUFF Miles) from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay. It climbs 1300 feet in about 4 miles. and then back down to sea level. Running on vacation helps the beers, steak, key lime pie and fish digest better!

The other detail on running there was that I did it everyday. I ended up running 11 days in a row including 3 once I was back. I took a recovery day on Friday so that I would be better for my long run on Saturday. It worked! I ran a nice 20-miler at 1:30 over my marathon pace. This was my second long run (first one was 18 miles) but first 20 miler. I got through 11 miles without realizing I had run them. It wasn't until another 4 miles where I felt my legs breaking down a bit. I talked to myself for the last 1 1/2 miles to get through the 20 but I did it!

I will run 10 miles tomorrow and then go play a round of golf. Hmmm, I suspect this makes for a pretty active weekend - 30 miles and a round of golf.

Like I said, gimme three steps out the door and I'm on my way. I just never know if I am coming back!