After doing decently yesterday, I figured I’d run again today. This time I made sure to have a Luna bar and some water beforehand and also sported my ultra light water vest.
My internal goal of today was to try to start out at a slower pace and build up some consistency without getting winded. I’ve never been good at keeping at a consistent pace. Being that I already took a ton of photos the day before, I figured I’d also pick up time by not stopping as much.
Wore less thermal clothing today, just a long sleeve top and my usual Nike run pants, but it was also sunnier today.
Sun Run
Instead of music, I would catch up on one of my favorite tech podcasts Reply All. Laurie had mentioned that she only listens to podcasts while running. I figured I’d give this a try, since when I listen to music I end up estimating how much time has elapsed by the average song length and then it becomes a mind game of “Are we there yet?” With the podcast I’m hoping that my mind will focus on the story and be so engrossed that I forget how far I’m running.
Starting off on the trail, I run by two guys who are taking a weed break close to the river. My muscles relax as I breathe in second hand smoke, super value. Just kidding not really but isn’t it funny to say so?
My shoulders are a bit tense from yesterday and I’m trying to relax them, but they are riding high. My pace is slow and I’m working at about 11 mins a mile to start. A butterfly in a chain linked fence encourages me on, as well as the lush green view that was spurred by last night’s torrential rains. Maybe I did inhale much more second hand smoke than I thought. If I see any rainbow unicorns I will know for sure.
Pass a couple runners on the trail, and I’m always not sure what the etiquette is. Should I give them a cheery hello? Which is my first instinct. But the moment is gone and as are they.
Keeping an even pace is really difficult, but the podcasts listening seems to be helping. Instead of thinking of this run in 3-4 minute intervals, now I’m thinking of it in terms of 22-40 minute intervals. Maybe the next step in my run training is to listen to an audio book, that way I have no idea when something will end and hopefully be so engrossed that I lose track of how I’m feeling.
Today seeing Levis Stadium in the distance isn’t super appealing and the breakfast and extra water I drank are sloshing around in my stomach giving me a side cramp. Instead of heading to the stadium I run as far as the part on the bike trails where you actually have to wait for a light. I sit on the ledge and take a break as I see Emily has texted me back about the 3D printing of corgis dressed as Thor, otherwise known as Thorgi. Don’t ever ask me how I know about things like this, I just do.
While sitting by the ledge, a runner asks me if I’m part of the Sports Basement Run group. I look at him bizarrely and say no. I wasn’t aware there was a group.
The podcasts I listened to on the way to this point weren’t all that interesting, but on the way back there were two that made the time go by so quickly. The second half of Perfect Crime cuts to a story about wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin, and how he has a podcast and can basically make anything entertaining, including the one time he didn’t have a guest and recorded 45 minutes of having an intense standoff with a fly.
But the kicker Reply All episode was the one right before I finished running. It was about the Berenstain Bears conspiracy. Oh you know, the adorable bear books from our childhood. I’m not going to ruin it but, I completely zoned out engrossed in listening to this part of episode 38 and immediately after finishing my run, went to the bookstore to look for a copy of one of the books. I failed on this quest, but I feel like man did this help my run focus.
Looked at Strava after the run, and realized I do consistent runs as slow as all hell and I was still burning up from wearing the wrong clothes today. Bah. I need to work on those things.
Days till Marathon: 220
Mileage: ~3.6 miles
Pace: 12:38/mi
Met Along The Way: Sports Basement Run Person
