This post is welling up inside me. I've been waiting patiently for a subject to hit me just right. THE boots, I thought, had it all. I should probably wear THE boots while throwing down the lines in this post, but I'm too tired to get up.
It took all day to run on December 8. A quick and casual change in the schedule had me pacing the floors for hours and, ahem, scrubbing the baseboards? This is a job that is not sexy. Imagine choosing to clean something that no one will ever know got cleaned? What is the reward in that? Well, for starters, I knew I cleaned it and I felt good about it; the nice thing about a blog is having a format where I can mention the things I've cleaned and get a little recognition. So there you go, I cleaned the baseboards in my kitchen.
That day I got a lot of baking done and was readying the house for company. I played with legos in a way that I like to occasionally. I prefer my brother's legos from the 80's. The pieces are mostly gray and spacey-with that intergalactic ring and speed of light and shit. I'm also partial to wheels. I have constructed some of the most intense lunar rovers complete with key boards, missile launchers (although, at once, we come in peace), steering wheels, windows, stealth windshields and roof shingles that came from the farm set.
I knew I could head out on my run at 4:30. Around 3 pm, I started getting ready. This is not typical to have this much time. I was not rushed but I thought about running the run....and didn't think about route or distance--no specifics. I was actually distracted by the fact that it was going to be dark and I needed to be prepared in two ways: 1, dressed for chillier temps and 2, lit up, easily detected, reflecting, etc.
The light I chose, I bought at a Dollar Tree on Hawthorne Blvd. Back in August while in Oregon for the Hood To Coast Relay. This was actually the last time I used it for the purpose of running. Levi likes to take it and shine it at Elijah and say, "I'm gonna punch you in your ffface". He's just trying to survive.
And I wear my compression socks on my arms. This is excellent!
I like the fact that my arms can be warm without stacking another layer on my core.
On goes the arm band and i pod. In goes the braid, uniform and snug. And I exit an excited, loud and noisy household ready for the reprieve. I head out left at the end of my dirt road and see that traffic is backed up to the traffic circle. Bonus!
I get to chase cars/race cars!
When I'm hauling close to them, the cars will purposefully drive along side to clock, it's kind of fun for me so I gave them something to shoot for...this was when my fastest mile was achieved.
I love approaching the outside turn of the traffic circle. I stay close to the line and it's raked slightly downward so I can accelerate and move quickly through. It's almost like going through a check point or running a track...I need to get through it quickly so I don't cause any problems for motorists. I know running into the circle is not ideal, but it's part of a killer loop and I'm only in it for an 1/8 of it.
But I was off to a great start. Sometimes, on certain days, running is for me, then, there are other days when running is not for me. I wonder if that half marathon was not the right day for me to run. That almost every other day could've been better for some reason.
Once I was told that racing ruins everything about running...this is probably likely. But I love running too much not to try racing occasionally.
I waited ALL day to run. When I got into traffic and moved fast through the circle, I started a climb that goes on for about 3 tenths of a mile. I climbed and climbed without dropping pace or breathing quickly. At the top of the hill I turned right onto a dirt road...quiet. And I kept the pace steadily. Sometimes I'm just so happy to be out of the house, away from all the chaos of raising 2 boys, who are hardcore boys (will the fighting ever end?).
Someone once told me if you raise 3 boys, you can do anything. I'm hoping some of that can be reserved me as I am raising 2 boys. Oh, and I'm not going to have a third boy just so I can qualify for the 'anything'. I'll gladly do 33.333% less of 'anything', because I don't think I could handle 1/3 more noise, dirt and gas in the house.
Anyway, the run that night was speedy overall, most likely because I was itchy from being cooped up all day and because I thought about it all day, and because I am so grateful for my time alone and because I love my athletic self that I'm amazed daily and, finally, I wanted to get home and out of the dark as fast as possible.
Sarah Eaton ran 6.5 mi PACE 7:20 SOTD Ramble On - Led Zeppelin gotta find the queen of all my dreams
New PR for the mile: 6:45
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