1 in the morning and I just got back from a 2 mile run with hills-I just ran around my neighborhood where there are a couple of good hills to cruise up. I've come to two realizations...one; I haven't been doing much speedwork. For the most part I run at average to slower speeds and every now and then I'll throw some sprints in the mix...usually when I'm close to the end of running I'll sprint and then do my cooldown. Two; I'm starting to make a bad habit of running late. I don't want to start this up...so I need to get a better sleep schedule so that I can run in the mornings when it is cool...the weather has been in the 80-90's but the humidity is out of control. I only ran two miles tonight and it looks like I just got back from swimming!
Last night after running 3 miles I took a walk around my neighborhood and as I was walking up the sidewalk I came across clear-glistening tracks. They were awesome. You could only see them from one angle...I got down closer to inspect the tracks and to see who made them...and there he was...a pebble sized snail! Busy, doing his thing!
And off subject, but on my mind, I had to take KT to the airport tonight and on the way home it was raining and the ground was wet and steamy...I saw something in the road that might have been a frog so I switched lanes so I didn't hit it. Then I cruised past another thing in the road-once again, it could have been or could not have been a frog. But it made me think back to a few years ago when Kevin and I were back in PA after traveling-we were heading towards my Grandfathers cabin (near the Alleghenies) to hang with him, my dad, and several other family members...it was a rainy night and pretty late. We got there and everybody was still up...all I could think about was getting a shower and for some reason it couldn't wait until morning...so I decided to let all the guys hang and talk, I grabbed the keys and traveled several miles down the mountain to go to the free showers to take one. Well, by the time I got on the road that took me to my destination I realized that there were literally hundreds of frogs in the road...hopping away as the cars barreled down the road. I stopped, got out of the car-it was raining really heavy at this point-and started removing the frogs from the road.
I took my shower. When I was finished I thought about how I didn't want to make the drive back up the mountain because I knew that there were frogs all over the roads getting hit by cars (for some reason, as late as it was, there were a good bit of people out.)
So, with no other choice but to, I started back up the mountain, going about 5mph!!! Stopping every few feet to get out in the rain to move frogs off the road...
At this point I had been gone from the cabin for quite a while! I knew that Kevin and the fam were probably getting worried about me but I couldn't help but help the frogs...I was almost at the cabin when all of a sudden I saw a car cruising down the road towards me...it was Kevin and my uncle wondering what the hell I was doing!!! I told them...and they told me that they were getting worried and my uncle just had a look on his face in disbelief and he couldn't help but laugh at the thought of me cruising up the mountain-slowly-getting out in the rain to help out the frogs.
I know, it sounds crazy! It was a pretty stressful night for me because I knew that I couldn't save them all...knowing that I tried made me feel a bit better but also it made me feel like shit about going out for something as lame as a shower...the frogs just wanted the night to themselves but they didn't even get that...cars dominate the roads, no matter what the hour...it's a sad world...
Anyway, off topic but I have frogs on the mind.
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2 comments:
I wouldn't worry about formal speedwork so much right now if I were you. Even for advanced runners most of the runs in a plan (around 70%) are easy. Speedwork is fun, but overdoing it can cause injury. One day/week of 800-1600m intervals is great marathon training. It's also a good idea to incorporate running at your goal pace in the middle of your easy runs.
Running early in the a.m. is best in the summer. So many runners get up and run around 4-5 a.m, and it's an awesome way to start the day. However, it does take some discipline to get up that early.
Being injured sucks so much. I'm thinking I have some kind of tendinitis in my foot. I want to run, but I know I risk injuring it more if I do. I'm currently reading Ultramarathon Man by Dean Karnazes. It so makes you want to put the book down and go out and run 100 miles right away. And not just any 100 miles but the Western States 100 - probably the toughest 100 mile race out there. The author is supposed to be speaking at my 50 miler in October.
But alas, I have to rest, take lots of fish oil, ice my foot and pray it gets better. X-training is all I can do.
Running at 4-5am is just a crazy thought at the moment! I would love to get up at 7-8am!!! That is my goal...that I'm currently working on...
Kevin has had tendinitis in the shoulder. I can't remember what he did (other than rest) to take care of the problem. That pain seems to last for several weeks if I remember correctly and I think he has problems with it on and off...
Hopefully you'll find something to take care of the problem. I'm sure the fish oil will def help out a great deal.
A week or two ago I watched a quick interview on the net with that Dean dude...
Kevin told me about that guy several years ago...I guess NPR interviewed him, or some shit like that...
Yea, I'm going to incorporate speedwork in but I'll probably do it on the days that I run hills or probably just randomly...like on low mileage days...I'll just throw in some sprints...
Well time to get off this damn box...hope that foot feels better soon...
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