"Tempo" Run

I got to see beautiful stained glass on Wednesday.

Now, some of my arty friends call Chihully's stuff "craft" and think it's sloppy.

Thankfully, as I have no real eye, I don't have to see in such detail. All I saw were pretty shiny things.

I love pretty shiny things!

But, as a result, I didn't have a great chance to run long. I was meeting a friend and didn't want to be late.

Great Idea: I'll do a tempo run! On the river! In the sunshine! When it's 94+ degrees! At noon!

Hey, at least my great idea didn't push the run until 4:00pm.

So, that was rough. I really wasn't going super fast but definitely felt the effort. Making a half-hearted effort to time, I went about 40 minutes. But I didn't do much more than 5 miles.

That's what the humidity does to you, sometimes!

Though, normally, I'm better with the heat. I think I have to stop hanging out in Suave's air conditioning.

Like Odysseus

I should have tied myself to the mast - metaphorically, anyway. That way, I wouldn't have been able to follow Gorgeous's siren song.

But no. She beguiled me into doing ANOTHER speed workout this week. Because me almost puking on Coach's shoes wasn't enough.

Sometimes, I am an idiot. "It will be fun!!!", she said.

Never trust a cute, smiling redhead.

There was sleep sand in my eyes this morning when I finally stopped hitting the snooze at 5:34am. My legs felt like blocks. I looked in the mirror. I looked better than I felt.

And a squinty-eyed monster had been looking back at me.

But I promised I'd meet her. And, worse than making fun of me, Gorgeous would give me a 'disappointed but understanding' look the next time I saw her. That look, which my advisor perfected, guilted me into finishing my disseration. So out the door I went, just like George Thorougood.

Did a granny jog up to GAP. Met up with Gorgeous. Knew the plan for the day going in, so I had lots of time to really start dreading it. Decided on the way up to break it up into chunks. First part done: granny jog to GAP. I had actually gotten to the workout.

Next, three miles at marathon pace. Gorgeous is the stats person, so check her blog for the actual times. I'll give you the feel-o-meter reading.

Marathon pace run to just before Zoo Hill: a bit burn-y. Some spitting involved. Felt like the last 3 miles of a 10-miler when you woke up hung-over from the night before. The legs are tired but you actually feel less and less like you want to puke. Breathing hard but still able to chat about any escapades or gossip, in between pants.

Then, 4 800s between the water fountain near the 5k finish and the fountain on the Ocean Avenue side. Full glut burn. Breathing like an anonomous caller. Felt worse than mile 14 of a marathon because the thoughts keep repeating: "I'm supposed to go about this fast for an entire race?!" and "I have, at one time, run this fast for an entire race?!".

Finally, a three-mile tempo run up Flatbush, around to Prospect Park West, back down PP West, and into the park. Like miles 22-24 of a marathon when you've already hit the wall and are really struggling. No talking: too much spitting required. Nausea rolling in and out like the tide on the North Shore. Legs magically weighing twice as much as before. The sort of run where you are trying to get yourself to the next street, then the next, then the next. Watched Gorgeous do her machine-like stride, arms pistoning, geting into the groove. Felt more like puking. She very nicely slowed down a bit for me on the way back. A moment of euphoria when I realized that a. we completed the workout and b. we completed the workout!


I took the train home.

Getting Schooled!

Saturday, we ran into the Guru, who invited me to run at 5:00am on Sunday. After talking it over with the Vivacious Redhead, I had decided not to go-too much distance for me in four days, given my lack of conditioning.

Plus, I'm a weenie when I can be, and I don't have to wake up that early to run right now.

But, it was still a first invitation, and those are ones that you should always take unless the circumstances really dictate otherwise. So I was thinking about my decision with some consternation as I ran up to GAP at the more leisurely hour of 9:00am.

Guess who I ran into? Himself! That was really cool. The Vivacious Redhead and I ran with a new guy for a counter-clockwise loop of the park, with the Guru meeting up with us for the last half. Just being able to listen to him talk about running was a pleasure.

And then he suggested another loop. The Vivacious Redhead and the new guy were game for running to the Tennis Pavilion, at a slower pace. He gave us a head start. And then flew by me before I passed Third. He would slow for a little and then take off. Running easily, not breathing hard. I was having my first tempo run post-injury, with no breakfast! I got the sense he was trying to push me a bit. I kept him in sight the whole time, which is something I'm proud of, given how slow I've been running. I watched his back become microscopic and disappear, all in the time it took for me to shout, "have a great rest of your run!".

I don't know if he even heard me.

By the time I met back up with the others, I was so happy to tone down the pace to a jog.

But the coffee and conversation with the Vivacious Redhead was a treat. I love it when we get to go to Milk Bar! After over eight miles, iced coffee tastes delicious sliding smoothly down the throat.