Thursday, April 1, 2010

What You Forget in a Week

aka, I probably should have chosen an easier route ...

aka, Gummy fruit slices are not rich in electrolytes ...

Yesterday just begged me to run. So, I obliged. I was happy to wear shorts and sunglasses, but I was just a bit too skeptical about the weather and chose a long sleeved tech-shirt in the mid-60s temperature. I laced up my Brooks T6 Racers and was ready to go.

My route took me westward toward the evening sun. Another runner appeared before me and I attempted to match her pace, but double her strides to settle into a fast foot turnover rate. The week's worth of rust soon caught up to me.

My breathing was labored. I struggled to balance my short strides with a fast cadence. And then my stomach started to give me fits.

Before I suited up for the run, I took Dobson out for a quick bathroom break, but before that I scarffled some sugar-coated gummy fruit slices to stem my hunger. Not even 20 minutes into my run, my stomach cramped. Not a good thing when you've been running steadily downhill and would have to make a steep climb back up to get home.

My route took me down to my usual starting point for Sand Run, but instead of heading onto the jogging/walking path, I turned toward the par course on the other side of Portage Path. The par course is a short, but rough trail that loops up and down a steep ravine.

The steep uphill brutalized me into a walk until shame convinced to start running again. Though the worst of it was soon over after I left the par course, the uphill wouldn't end until a half mile from home. After an hour and five minutes, I was done. Maybe next time I take a week off between runs, I'll start with something shorter.

Thus ended March. Here is last month's statistical rundown:
  • Total Miles: 57 miles (12 runs)
  • Highest Weekly: 20 miles
  • Average Weekly: 11.4 miles
  • Average Pace: 9:57.86 per mile
  • Longest/Fastest Run: 9 miles, 8:28 pace
  • The Monthly Dif: +11 miles (46 miles in February)
It's nice to have an improved month. I hope we see a lot more of those with the nicer weather ahead.

7 comments:

Tricia said...

I'm so excited for warm weather!

(of course...living in S.Florida I really haven't had much "cold" weather...but I'll try not to rub that in :)

Ian said...

I submit that there is no better motivation than a female runner ahead of you.

Aileen said...

Well, at least you finished! And I'd kill to be able to run for an hour and five minutes right now!

Much love to Dobson.

Jess said...

At least you were out there running and enjoying the weather! Here's to much improved mileage as the weather gets nicer!

Adam Culp (Crazy Floridian) said...

Nice job getting out there. Now that the rust is off, keep it up.

Jess said...

Good job "getting out there"!

drdave said...

Bout time you got out for a run. Just had to hack out the dust balls.
Congrats!