Two Days Off

Due to work things I took both Tuesday and Wednesday off. Could I have gotten out for a run? I am sure I could, but it would have been at the end of a very long day or in the wee hours of the morning before work began. I feel “off” when I don’t run, but I need to relax and remind myself that I’m in shape. Trust the fitness.

On Thursday morning I left my hotel near the Kansas City Airport and went out for a quick run before flying home. The first couple of miles took me through miserable-looking office parks. The mid-western wind was absolutely brutal. At times I couldn’t even hear myself think. Fortunately the weather was warm and the air felt pleasant. However, if there is one type of weather I hate (for running), it’s wind…especially when running along wide open streets in flat office park land. Eventually I found my way down a scenic road and had the wind at my back. I turned around at 30 minutes and decided to run 3 on/1 off, 2 on/1 off, 1 on/1 off x 2. I had to get SOMETHING in. The wind was atrocious as I cut back towards the hotel. I had no idea how fast I ran (it felt quick) but the effort was there. My breathing was very labored and my arms got a great workout pumping away. I was fairly rocked at the end.

On Friday morning I met my old pal Karl. It was like olden times. We held hands and ran and giggled in the warm spring sunshine. It was great to get back into my daily routine (ie - run every morning pre-work).

Knowing I had to travel for work again on Sunday, I wanted to get in either another workout or a long run on Saturday. I opted for both when I saw that Jake Marren was looking for bodies to run a 5 mile tempo. We warmed up for 3 miles then Jake, Karl, Matias, Charles Ban the IV and a new guy I met named Joe, scurried north for 2 miles, then swept back south. The goal was to run 5:30 pace. Knowing that the canal markers are not 100% accurate, I hit 5:24, 5:40, 5:35, 5:25 and 5:11...or 27:15 (5:27s). I haven't run 5:30 pace for anything in a very long time, but I can report it felt very comfortable. This could be considered a "first look" at what I hope to run in the fall (though 5:30s seem awful fast right now for 26 and in thinking this way, I am getting way ahead of myself.) I cooled down for 7 miles and made it a 15.5 mile day.