of sweat, sports drinks, and shiny things

Stats: 4.45 miles, 46:03

Factors: weather (low 70’s and climbing, humidity 60% (ugh)); fatigue (couple poor-sleep nights)

Overall this is a win.  Felt rather, um, challenged throughout the run, but part of that was the Factors (above) and part was my particular issue with going out too fast.  Still, this weather should be here for the next several weeks, which means we should acclimate fairly quickly.  Or not.  This IS the Pacific Northwest, there really is no telling, is there?

Mile 1 – 8:57.  WAAAAY too fast, even for a downhill.  My breathing felt off from the start – as though I couldn’t get a deep breath.  My body kept trying to get a big yawn out the entire run (still am now, several hours later).  I don’t think I’ve had that feeling before – at least not during a run, sometimes I get that “stuck yawn” thing, but this was a little bizarre.

Mile 2 – 10:27.  Stopped at the park’s water fountain, then settled down the pace a bit.  This segment is flat and straight.  Caught up to a gal pushing a stroller and paced off her for a bit – she was far better at keeping an even pace than I had been doing.  Easy conversation about acclimating to summer and different races for fall, then we split off, her baby waving and calling “bye”…

Mile 3 – 11:59.  Ugh.  The HILL mile.  This is the major challenge of this route, that the entire mile slopes upward – sometimes gradually, sometimes quite sharp.  I think as I learn the way the route feels, this will be less sucky, but for now, it’s sucky.

Mile 4 – 10:29 and Mile 4.45 –4:07 (9:20 pace).  So why does it always seem to click in toward the end?  Maybe because it was flat.  Maybe because “the finish” was in sight.  Maybe because it was the most familiar part of the route (this is where my normal 3-mile route goes).  Or, maybe… it was the ten minute stop at the running store for water and – ooh, shiny things… yeah, I got a little distracted by the compression socks.  Either way, it worked for a strong finish!

Three things about the run:

1.       I ran right up to the front door of the building, hit the STOP button on my watch, and did my happy dance – and then looked up to see my agency head honcho and deputy head honcho watching me, curiously.  I do love that I work at a place where that’s not necessarily a career-limiting moment.

2.       My watch is apparently set to “bring her home” mode.  As I got into the last mile, it started making weird beeps; and when I looked down, it said “APPROACHING TURN”.  Hunh…  well, I WAS planning to turn, so I did.  And then half a block later it did it AGAIN.  And again, I WAS supposed to turn.  And then as I approached the building it began beeping in a rather satisfied manner and said “ARRIVED AT BEGIN”.   Excuse me?  My runs are MY TIME.  I do NOT need to be told what to do and where to go, especially by an inanimate object.  Really, I have kids for that.

3.       A couple weeks ago I brought a rejected flavor of Gatorade into work – just in case – and stashed in the fridge.  Today that move paid off.  Yes, it was a scary shade of blue, but wow did it taste good after that run.