Not A Recovery Run

Monday, Oct 25, 2010:

I hadn’t run since the KC Marathon 9 days ago, mostly because I have a miserable cold and hadn’t wanted to expose my lungs to a lot of cold air. But we went to the club, where I can run on the squirrel track at 70 degrees, 13.5 laps per mile. For some reason I started out strong, running the first laps in less than 40 seconds each, unusual for me even when I’m well.

But I wasn’t well, hadn’t run in nine days, plus my stomach was full from a too-recent meal, and yet for some reason I kept up that pace. Several times I tried to slow down, and maybe I did for a lap, but as soon as my mind went somewhere else I was back up to that pace, a race pace, too fast for me on that day. I ended up with a good time for four miles, but was quite worn out at the end, even a little woozy.

Splits: 8:48, 8:17, 8:18, 8:26, total 33:48, pace 8:27. I can run faster for four miles, but not that day.

Those cherries were from the tree of friend and fellow runner Rich. Man were they good. This photo was shot last summer.