Saturday 30 June 2007

First long run in a month


...And it was hard. How can you lose so much fitness in a month? I gave myself permission to take walk breaks, and I don't think that is a good idea on a hot day when you are out running big fat hills. I ran 8.5 miles. My average pace was 15.05 per mile!!! Oh Good Gravy.

One very cool thing: At about 5 miles, two bicyclists were coming at me from the other direction. As one of them neared, he raised his hand and gave me a crisp salute! I smiled from ear to ear at him. What a nice thing to do. But after he passed, I started crying. I am not sure why. Maybe because I thought of my son (in Iraq), maybe because it was just a moment of silent communication between two nuts out in the middle of nowhere - getting our exercise. I thought about where we passed each other - no matter where you live, you would have to be at least 4 miles from home... I was running up hill, and he was biking downhill. It was special, I guess I can't really articulate why.

On hot days in the summer, I am going to have to get out earlier. I didn't hit the road until 8:30 a.m., and it was already 70 degrees then. By the time I got home, it was 89 degrees - and that is just tooooo hot for me!
-- I posted a picture I took during my run on Christmas Day - just because!--

9 comments:

Adam said...

Cool pic.

I went out here about 8:00 and it was 70 degrees, but the humidity killed me. I had to walk some too, I only went a measly 4 miles

Joe said...

Great post. Just found your blog via Randy.

Your son is in Iraq?? So is mine...I just blogged about his recent leave today. So, that salute means a lot...tears indeed, I know how that feels.

Hope you (and your Brooks shoes!) enjoy getting back into it!

Randy - Maniac #788 said...

Mary if it makes you feel any better it's 5:45 here and it's already 70's.

I think it is awesome of you to relate his salute with your son. I'm sure your son is thinking about you too. How many days till he gets to come home?

The cyclist was also saluting your energy and will power to be tackling on foot what he has done with the bike. My hat is off to you as well for going after the hills, especially your hills there around Denver.

Special prayers for you and your son, as well as for Joe and his son. Isn't it amazing how we find each other through our blogs....if not for our efforts to write...if not for our efforts to run...where would we be, but in a much much smaller world.

Debbi said...

To me, your photo represents coming from darkness into light, which is where my history has brought me. I love it!

Sue said...

That picture looks so refreshing and cool! I can't stand the heat and find it exhausting running in it - not that you would think our temperatures are that hot over here!

Yeah, I upgraded my Motionbased Account from the free one, just so's I could have a bit more fun with it looking at my stats etc.

Well done on your long run!

Marcy said...

That pic is beautiful!!! You RAN in that snow?!? Ohhh my!!!

You didn't lose any fitness, you've just been doing other things ;-) It will all come back sooner then you think :-)

Unknown said...

I love the picture you posted. I imagined a cool breeze.

It is too hot for me too. And lately I can't seem to get up early enough to beat the heat. I about died yesterday at mile 3 of a 4 mile run and had to walk. I think the heat takes a lot out of us...

Wes said...

The heat seems to be getting around. Mobile AL is a suana. It was 78 degrees when I went out this morning, and I sweated like a piggy :-) I was doing the run 4/walk 1 thing, but I think I coulda done walk 2 easy, and probably should have. Galloway recommends adding 30 seconds to your base per minute mile for every 5 degrees over sixty. Maybe I should start listening!

Sometimes those moments are special just for you. That is enough for us to know :-)

J~Mom said...

I like that pic! It looks nice and cool! Do you know how long your son will be there? (((HUGS)))