Why is this? I don't walk when I run on the indoor track, so why do I want to walk when running outdoors? I don't have to walk, I suppose, but my breathing rate gets a little fast and I walk to calm it down again. I've been doing that even on the Gateway Trail, and so fat this year on every other outdoor run.
The good news is that I enjoy this kind of running. I like it. So for now I'll run a lot, walk a little, and have a good time.
Saturday, Apr 4:
St Croix Valley Runners, five miles. Nice group this morning, including Roy, visiting from Chicago. Nice to have him with us again. Despite the nice-sized group, I ended up running mostly by myself, behind the three fastest and ahead of the rest. I walked briefly three times, up little hills.
Time 44:12, pace 8:50. Last week, running with Paul, I finished this route almost a minute and a half faster, even though I thought I pushed pretty hard this time. This speaks to the incentive and motivation that comes with running with another person.
Thursday, Apr 2:
Thursday afternoon I ran ten miles on my favorite dirt road along the railroad tracks for the first time this year. Lovely. The dirt does take some energy away, as did the 14-mph westerly wind. But mostly my pace was slow because I didn’t FEEL like going fast. I took frequent, short walk breaks, and even stopped to gape at various goings-on in Lake Woebegone a couple of times.
I wore the new Brooks Summit shoes and they were OK, though I still like the old Burns better. I have one almost-new pair of Burns left, and will reserve those for races.
No pains, no strains during the run. Afterward the right knee hurt going down stairs, but that problem corrected itself the next morning. The first step down hurt, and from then on the knee was fine. Also I got good news at Mayo Clinic Thursday morning - the myeloma is still stable. It’s a masterpiece.
Splits: 1:19:06 (8 mi), 19:00 (2 mi), total 1:38:06, pace 9:49. Actually that's almost a Boston-qualifying pace for a runner my age. I’ll take it.
Sunshine's homemade mostly-organic chicken chili. Organic chicken, organic beans, organic carrots, organic spinach (!), organic tomato, onions, chili spices, slivered almonds. Quite a treat. She should write a cookbook. Title: "How To Eat!"
You guys should write a cookbook together. Everything looks wonderful. I don't mind walking up the hills or if I get tired. Why get your breathing all out of whack? I think it's better to get it back together. Glad you had a good week!
ReplyDeleteAmong the real long-distance guys, those doing unimaginable distances, it's common to walk 5 minutes each half hour; one can go much further with much less stress that way - good to know it works for shorter distances, too.
ReplyDeleteI can't come over here to read your posts in the evenings before I go home, I get too hungry looking at the picture of your meal! Nothing wrong with getting a long run in any way you can, even walking some of it. Isn't running supposed to be enjoyable? You're out there, that's what matters. Nice times and nice runs.
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