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| Road and track |
Today's run (street): 3.4 miles
We've had great weather over the weekend and I took advantage of it over the last two days. Yesterday morning I headed to the high school to run laps on the track. Today I stayed within my neighborhood. I'd considered doing a trail run, but I wanted to save time and get my workout done before the heat and humidity took over.
When I arrived at the track there were about five people walking and two high school-aged girls doing intervals. I do most of my running on local roads where I run exclusively on the left side. I wanted to even that up a bit and bucked convention by running the track clockwise. As I made my way around, I noticed young women drifting into the area and settling in at the southern end of the track. I realized that team practice was about to start and I would soon have a lot of fast company.
Track running can get monotonous but I was actually enjoying the experience. Going the opposite direction of everyone else was weird, because you are constantly encountering people face to face. I tend to get competitive with other runners so going in the other direction prevents me from pushing too hard. Still, I notice where we cross paths and subconsciously calculate whether I've gained or lost ground with them.
My concern of being overrun by high school track stars was unfounded. The coach dispatched them around the large field surrounding the schools and then put them through drills inside the track. I lost track of my lap count (my Garmin doesn't capture quarters, just miles) but I stopped after estimating that I'd gone around 14 times. I was correct, the Garmin map showed I covered 3.5 miles.
This morning I wanted to get out and add a few more miles to the string of runs I'd started on Friday. Despite a mindset to run easy, I pushed my speed because it felt right. I focused on my stride that's been compacted due to my injury. Prior to my disc problem, my average stride length had been close to a meter (per my Garmin foot pod). Just a few weeks ago it was averaging .83 meters but lately I've been getting closer to .9.
It occurred to me that today isn't Sunday, although it feels like it is. I'm glad it will be a four day work week. I'm hoping to fit in a few workouts during the week to bridge my fitness to next weekend.
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You're such a rebel.
ReplyDeleteI have to say, the one time I ran against a high school track team, I wound up beating every one of them. I placed 3rd overall in the high school sponsored 5k. The women who placed 1st and 2nd were also in their 40s. However, when I run through my neighborhood and occasionally encounter the Molloy runners (not sure if they're track or another sport), they consistently and effortlessly kick my ass. As they should.
Since you regularly podium at races I'm not surprised. Interesting that you beat the high schoolers but not the college runners. I guess that makes sense because making a college team usually means you were a star in high school. I doubt I would place in a 10 and under fun run these days.
DeleteNot to be sexist, but the high schoolers I beat were girls. The Molloy runners I meet are men.
DeleteFor some reason I get my butt kicked more often by women than men in my neighborhood.
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