Sunday, October 15, 2006

I Fowgot My Wip Baum

It's getting to be colder out there, and a runner has to think about that stuff. Even so, I still was overdressed. I could have done without the windbreaker, I think, since there was no wind.

I did my usual distance route, only today I ran it the other way around, starting on the north side of the river and returning on the south side. Of course this put me right in the middle of the field of the Calgary Zoo's Gorilla Run. It was strange to be suddenly surrounded by people with racing bibs, and when I continued on at 14th Street, having volunteers hollering at me that the race route went "over that way" until they noticed I didn't have a bib.

After that, it got quiet. Not even the Running Room groups were out, it seems like. It stayed quiet all the way around, even back in the Gorilla Run course on the other side. I guess people weren't into running in the grey and the rain.

And I'm not sure if it was the grey and the rain or what, but I did not have the energy that I've had for the past few months. It was nothing trying about running today, but I didn't have much oomph or something. A couple of times I even thought of just walking the rest of it. But I kept at it and managed to finish reasonably strong.

Tru says I must have a certain mental toughness because I've finished a couple of marathons, and thinking about it, I think she's right. And I think that's what gets me through those moments when it seems like I've had enough. Usually I don't even think of quiting, but I often wish really lots that it was over. Actually, quitting would mean I have a long, long walk home, so I might as well keep going, as I see it.

Anyway, over and done, and I'm always glad I went when I finish.

Today's run:
Distance: 15.70 km. Time: 1:30:12. Average speed: 10.4 kph.
Rest distance: 1.02 km. Rest time: 10:00.
Total distance: 16.72 km. Total time: 1:40:12.

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Blue)

Weather: Light rain and 5C, though the rain wasn't there for most of the run.

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