Fear Factor
If you offered me a choice of whether I would rather: a) swim across a pool of leeches; b) eat live roaches; or c) run 8 miles in the rain, it would be a tough decision between a & b.
This morning, however, I found myself doing #c. Circumstances had me at Reba's house without a car. Plan was to run home, but I hadn't factored in that last night's freezing rain would still be coming down, albeit a bit more warmly as regular rain. It didn't seem an issue last night but this morning I once again locked up at the prospect of running in this mess.
But the prospect of being stranded in Prospect Park is a powerful motivator, and I started my run. It was, of course, not as bad a run as I feared, but that doesn't mean it was enjoyable. Although the temps were in the high 30s, the ice from last night's cold temperatures still lingered on the sidewalks and lesser traveled roads. Once on Chester Pike I had the choice of running on icy/slushy sidewalks or directly out in the traffic lanes. I did a little of both - doing fartleks on the road when the traffic was light and in between I did slower, more careful spells on the sidewalk. I learned that feet dunked into icy puddles would quickly warm up again. There is a difference between wet and soaked; I was more the former. And my worst fear - of being showered by a rooster tail from an oncoming car - never came to pass.
It always feels good to face down one's fears. It always feels good to snatch a run from the jaws of improbability. And I found myself problem-solving throughout the run: tending to my little worries, collecting data on the actual conditions, and adapting. Always adapting. It wasn't bad.
8 miles, no time. I'll try to air out some faster miles on the treadmill this evening.
Addendum
Four miles this evening on the hamster wheel at USP. Three of them at max pace (18 min.). My legs just had to do something fast. Its a good pace for me to get comfortable with.
This morning, however, I found myself doing #c. Circumstances had me at Reba's house without a car. Plan was to run home, but I hadn't factored in that last night's freezing rain would still be coming down, albeit a bit more warmly as regular rain. It didn't seem an issue last night but this morning I once again locked up at the prospect of running in this mess.
But the prospect of being stranded in Prospect Park is a powerful motivator, and I started my run. It was, of course, not as bad a run as I feared, but that doesn't mean it was enjoyable. Although the temps were in the high 30s, the ice from last night's cold temperatures still lingered on the sidewalks and lesser traveled roads. Once on Chester Pike I had the choice of running on icy/slushy sidewalks or directly out in the traffic lanes. I did a little of both - doing fartleks on the road when the traffic was light and in between I did slower, more careful spells on the sidewalk. I learned that feet dunked into icy puddles would quickly warm up again. There is a difference between wet and soaked; I was more the former. And my worst fear - of being showered by a rooster tail from an oncoming car - never came to pass.
It always feels good to face down one's fears. It always feels good to snatch a run from the jaws of improbability. And I found myself problem-solving throughout the run: tending to my little worries, collecting data on the actual conditions, and adapting. Always adapting. It wasn't bad.
8 miles, no time. I'll try to air out some faster miles on the treadmill this evening.
Addendum
Four miles this evening on the hamster wheel at USP. Three of them at max pace (18 min.). My legs just had to do something fast. Its a good pace for me to get comfortable with.
posted by seebo | 9:16 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home