On Sunday, September 28, 2008 I ran 10 miles in 1:28:29. I didn't stop to rest and I didn't drop dead. This was a milestone that said to me, with a cockney accent, "You stand a chance of actually completing a marathon, m'boy!" My goal was to finish in an hour and a half and as I hit the 8 mile mark at 1:12:30 I felt the fear of failing become the wind beneath my wings and thus began the ass-hauling. The last chunk of this particular route is on the Venice Boardwalk from Washington Boulevard to Rose Avenue. I could've stayed on the bike path for clear sailing (like a pussy!) but I chose the more visually interesting and obstacle-strewn boardwalk, weaving around the corpulent tourists and local junkies, anticipating the pedestrian drift when necessary, and making good time: an 8 minute pace for the last two miles. I was happy, satisfied, and in a minimal amount of pain when I got home. As an added bonus, I got to play hockey that night.
The Interesting Sight 'o the Day was the small pool of blood on the sidewalk along Washington followed a few dozen yards later by what looked like a canvas Whole Foods bag used to staunch the bleeding. An eco-bleeder! This and the copious alcohol-themed trash in the vicinity made for interesting scenarios to ponder.
My runs for the week for those who want to keep score:
Tuesday - 3 miles
Thursday - 6.73 miles in 58:30
Sunday - 10 miles in 1:28:29
____
No comments:
Post a Comment