Going Solo

Does anyone read the poetry? Just curious.

Today on my tempo run I remembered something sweet that Joshua said/did on our vacation. He can read when he wants to (he's soon to be 6 years old), but most of the time he just can't be bothered with reading. Going to the beach one day in California, Elijah saw a sign advertising surf lessons. Elijah said, "Oh! I'm not going to tell Joshua what that sign says." Joshua's interest is peaked. He then read the sign, and said, "Surf! It says surf! Can we surf here? I want to surf!" I found it adorably hilarious and replied, "So the boy can read when he wants to."

So today I did tempo a bit differently. I ran during Elijah's piano lesson (3:15 - 4:15pm), so I was by my lonesome. The trail is pretty sparse at that time of day - or at least today it was. I didn't want to run an out-and-back warm-up, so I decided to run to the mile 1 for warm-up and then do from mile 1-3 as my tempo. I'd then have a mile to cool down. It sounded perfected and not boring.

The warm-up was fine. My legs are sore from circuit. I am always sore after doing lunges, especially when it's been a while. I started my tempo, and things were going fine until the 1.75 mile marker. It's hot and shadeless from there to the bridge. I was tired b/c I'd gone out too fast (drat it!), and the heat, vertigo, and allergies were little devils on my shoulder whispering, "Just stop...no one will know. Just slow down; it's entirely too hot to be running."

I made it to the bridge and saw I'd run a 9.32 first mile. The new terrain was tough, and I don't want to run that again at that time of day. I give props to the T/Th afternooners who run the 4-mile tempo and have that hot, sunny stretch to run twice.

I actually walked for a minute on the bridge. The mental devils won that round. I started up again, and the north side of the trail is so much shadier. I was running at a comfortably hard pace and tried to focus on breathing and running. I finished hard and my overall time was 20.19...not bad for a brief walk in the middle. I really think that if I hadn't walked, my time might have been the exact same due to me slowing down later in the run.

I did a walk/jog cool down staying on the north side of the trail. I just love that blue water fountain with the mosiac.

Overall, I guess I did fine. Tempo is supposed to hard, but I wish it was pleasant. I do not like that route I did though. I missed the 1.5 mile marker so I didn't get 1/2 mile splits. I think our tempo out-and-back is boring and predictable at times, but I know when to go and when to slow. It's all really just mental b/c it's the same distance, and the terrain is really comparable.

I'm enjoying a quiet house with just me and the cats home. Elijah is with a friend. David took Joshua to soccer practice. This is exactly why I ran early today rather than go back downtown at 5:30pm (btw, I'd be running right now if I had gone back). For a rare bit, I get to sit and do nothing. Of course, that is coming to a quick end as I need to make dinner for the family, blah, blah, blah, etc.