’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!
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Round Here
Step out the front door like a ghost into the fog
Where no one notices the contrast of white on white
And in between the moon and you the angels get a better view
Of the crumbling difference between wrong and right
I “run” in the air between the rain through myself and back again
Where? I don’t know
I ventured out into the mist of some of the highest humidity cast upon us this summer. The white, thick fog provided an eerie backdrop for a run where breathing was going to be more daunting than the first snorkel breath taken under water. I could not see more than 20-30 feet in front of me so it was a bit like running blind through a cumulous cloud. Maybe it was what running would be like in heaven although I hope they have softer surfaces to run on than the road – like the cloud itself. Of course, what would you push off of to generate the equal and opposite reaction? Or, would it just feel like you were running mentally without any physical exertion? Could I run a sub-3 marathon then?
Anyway, there was plenty of physical exertion on these runs. When I first started writing this I had run one day where it was like this. In my procrastination (or more like finding time) of not getting this posted, I found myself a “ghost into a fog” again about a week later. However, the runs were different. The first run was tough but I seemed to find an up-tempo pace that I could drive through to the end of the run (5 miles). I did not fare as well on the second run – still getting through the 5 miles but feeling like I had to cut the thickness with a knife like a baby having to break through the embryonic sack trying to find a breath of fresh oxygen. Each day is different. Each run is different. Some days you can breath, some days it’s a little tougher – in life as in running.
Some days, we are a ghost where no one notices. Running is a bit like this where the contrast of white on white is us being able to stay inside ourselves, have the freedom to think, disappear for a little while, and be non-existent in the world. We find ourselves imagining this place called heaven, where the angels get a better view of our life and death; helping us find what we need to find. Sometimes we don’t know where we are running. We “run” in the air between the rain through ourselves and back again with every run. We sometimes find ourselves; sometimes lose our way but no matter, we keep on running.
Where no one notices the contrast of white on white
And in between the moon and you the angels get a better view
Of the crumbling difference between wrong and right
I “run” in the air between the rain through myself and back again
Where? I don’t know
I ventured out into the mist of some of the highest humidity cast upon us this summer. The white, thick fog provided an eerie backdrop for a run where breathing was going to be more daunting than the first snorkel breath taken under water. I could not see more than 20-30 feet in front of me so it was a bit like running blind through a cumulous cloud. Maybe it was what running would be like in heaven although I hope they have softer surfaces to run on than the road – like the cloud itself. Of course, what would you push off of to generate the equal and opposite reaction? Or, would it just feel like you were running mentally without any physical exertion? Could I run a sub-3 marathon then?
Anyway, there was plenty of physical exertion on these runs. When I first started writing this I had run one day where it was like this. In my procrastination (or more like finding time) of not getting this posted, I found myself a “ghost into a fog” again about a week later. However, the runs were different. The first run was tough but I seemed to find an up-tempo pace that I could drive through to the end of the run (5 miles). I did not fare as well on the second run – still getting through the 5 miles but feeling like I had to cut the thickness with a knife like a baby having to break through the embryonic sack trying to find a breath of fresh oxygen. Each day is different. Each run is different. Some days you can breath, some days it’s a little tougher – in life as in running.
Some days, we are a ghost where no one notices. Running is a bit like this where the contrast of white on white is us being able to stay inside ourselves, have the freedom to think, disappear for a little while, and be non-existent in the world. We find ourselves imagining this place called heaven, where the angels get a better view of our life and death; helping us find what we need to find. Sometimes we don’t know where we are running. We “run” in the air between the rain through ourselves and back again with every run. We sometimes find ourselves; sometimes lose our way but no matter, we keep on running.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Wave On Wave
Mile upon Mile I got no direction.
We’re all playing the same game
We’re all looking for redemption
Just afraid to say the name
"marathon"...that's the name and the game and I don't need any direction, I just need to run mile upon mile! I can't believe I have not written an entry for two weeks. How does time slip by so quickly? Not writing isn't because I am not running. To the contrary, I have put in some excellent miles over the last couple of weeks, although a bit difficult with the humidity, they have been excellent! Difficult miles make future ones easier.
I started an entry called "Round Here" which I will still publish because of the oddity of the morning, running in such thick, wet humidity. It is worth describing. The song "round here" starts with "I step out the front door like a ghost into a fog..." It was so appropriate for that morning. I will finish the entry and post it.
Last week was a very good training week totaling 47 miles, inclusive of a 18 miler over 3 hours with a follow-up 9 mile slight tempo/slight fartlek on the boardwalk in Belmar. I needed both the accumulation of time spent running and the individual long run to gain some confidence in training. I will continue the 3 hour runs over the next 8 weeks along with hill work and tempo runs.
Summer is an interesting time to train because of the humidity and heat. The fall brings welcome relief and easier running all leading up to marathon season. I am so looking forward to the Baltimore Marathon, my 15th marathon. It has been since January that I ventured out on a 26.2 mile trek, the last one being in Las Vegas. I miss the marathon when I have not run one in awhile. I believe it was Frank Shorter who said, "You can't run your next marathon until you forget about your previous one." I needed the time after Las Vegas which was my 3rd in 4 months and 5th last year. Although I never forget, I have become motiviated to train for and run the next. I don't forget because I learn from those experiences...how else would I improve?
We all look for redemption from the previous or I should say improvement from the previous so mile after mile, I have no direction but I do have intention!
We’re all playing the same game
We’re all looking for redemption
Just afraid to say the name
"marathon"...that's the name and the game and I don't need any direction, I just need to run mile upon mile! I can't believe I have not written an entry for two weeks. How does time slip by so quickly? Not writing isn't because I am not running. To the contrary, I have put in some excellent miles over the last couple of weeks, although a bit difficult with the humidity, they have been excellent! Difficult miles make future ones easier.
I started an entry called "Round Here" which I will still publish because of the oddity of the morning, running in such thick, wet humidity. It is worth describing. The song "round here" starts with "I step out the front door like a ghost into a fog..." It was so appropriate for that morning. I will finish the entry and post it.
Last week was a very good training week totaling 47 miles, inclusive of a 18 miler over 3 hours with a follow-up 9 mile slight tempo/slight fartlek on the boardwalk in Belmar. I needed both the accumulation of time spent running and the individual long run to gain some confidence in training. I will continue the 3 hour runs over the next 8 weeks along with hill work and tempo runs.
Summer is an interesting time to train because of the humidity and heat. The fall brings welcome relief and easier running all leading up to marathon season. I am so looking forward to the Baltimore Marathon, my 15th marathon. It has been since January that I ventured out on a 26.2 mile trek, the last one being in Las Vegas. I miss the marathon when I have not run one in awhile. I believe it was Frank Shorter who said, "You can't run your next marathon until you forget about your previous one." I needed the time after Las Vegas which was my 3rd in 4 months and 5th last year. Although I never forget, I have become motiviated to train for and run the next. I don't forget because I learn from those experiences...how else would I improve?
We all look for redemption from the previous or I should say improvement from the previous so mile after mile, I have no direction but I do have intention!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
