Graveyard

I phoned the Vivacious Redhead yesterday. To hear her tell it, I was being a good motivating force for her.

Actually, I wanted to make sure that someone else was running this morning, as I was afraid it would be raining and knew it would be grey and cold (for us weird people, it does count as cold, fyi).

Plus, I hadn't talked to her in forever besides on the phone, and her children, while awesome in every other way, are not the best at letting her talk on the phone. They like to interrupt. What can you do? They are children, after all.

I remember I was the same way with my mother. Come to think of it, I STILL am that way. Learning curve?

Around the cemetery, chatting the whole way. We argued whether going counterclockwise is harder or easier than going clockwise.

"But you have that long hill, going counter-clockwise." "But you have those steep hills going clockwise." But you don't have to look at the McDonald's and the car wash while you are struggling uphill clockwise."

She made a good point about the McDonald's.

We went at a pretty good pace throughout the run around Greenwood Cemetery, by the Butterfly Garden, where I've never seen any butterflies, and back down Prospect Park West to meet up with whomever showed for the group run. We even got there early!

While keeping a pretty good pace, we weren't going fast, so conversation was easy and the miles flew by. My bad quad is still feeling it a bit after last week and, even now, sitting down, I feel it a bit. I've rolled and will roll more, but I think it's something I need to keep an eye out for.

No speedwork this week, I think. Oh, the inhumanity!

A huge group showed up - for Sundays, anyway. Smiley and Carefree showed up. Beer and Cheese showed up after having already done a lap inside the park. A new girl showed up, who was really nice.

No loops inside the park: the Vivacious Redhead and I made an executive decision. Too many bikes because of the Five Borough Ride. Instead, it was outside the park we went for a counter-clockwise loop. On the way down Prospect Park West, we saw Coach coming the other way. Tried to get him to join up with us. He smiled his enigmatic smile, tilted his head once, and ran on.

Down Prospect Park Southwest, we encountered Urban Planner. We were able to persuade her to run with us. While running, she explained that she had been running with Coach, who had already done 18 miles when she had met up with him.

That explains the run-past. And I was afraid he didn't like me and the Vivacious Redhead anymore!

This loop, we were going at a pretty relaxed pace. My legs were a bit tired, so it was nice for them. But I don't think it's a good thing, overall, to run much slower, relatively, than one usually does. Other things start to hurt in us over-30 types.

So I kept up at the front with Carefree, who was trucking for a good part of the run, and caught up some more. By the time we got to Flatbush, though, I guess my body just wanted to be done. All of a sudden, I heard the Vivacious Redhead shout at me "Just wait! We're coming for you!"

I must have just sped up of my own accord. It felt a bit better, though my thigh still felt tired.

I need advice on the quad and some non-speedwork time, I think.

We did get to go to Milk Bar afterwards, though we almost got run over by bikes doing the tour in the process. It's no Bagel Hole but it's awfully fantastic, nonetheless.

Bikes should stop for pedestrians at crosswalks when the pedestrians have the green. They shouldn't glare and race past through the red light when a group of people are trying to cross. It's only polite.

Having company is sometimes more important than running a particular time. Got a really pleasurable 11 miles or so in before the rain.