Just call me the every-day marathon runner

If I had a dollar for every time one of the parents at school said to me, "That is so great that you run every day" or "I can't believe you run all the time," I would have a lot of dollars. Each time, I have to tell them that I run only twice a week (and sometimes not even that), which surprises most of them.

On a very good week, I will run and walk twice each, but that so rarely happens. The more likely scenario is I leave my car two or three times a week to walk or run, and if someone saw me exiting my car, they would not necessarily know which of those activities I am doing since I don't start running until I am out of the lot and down the driveway. Of course, I do run by probably a dozen or more cars of parents once I actually start running.

I also think it is funny that one of my friends is impressed because I "run marathons"; to her anything over a mile is pretty much a long-distance run, thus counting as a marathon in her eyes. And a woman at lunch today could not believe I manage to run four or five miles at times.

But back to this week, during which I ran about 4.5 miles on Monday and about 4 miles today, which was followed by eight minutes of running around the outside of the gym, including 20 steps (I counted). Hopefully, I can get an "official" step workout in, but my guess is I am done running for the week. On a positive note, I think I cut a minute of my time from Monday to today. On an indifferent note, I noticed that for some odd reason since the temps have turned cooler, I rarely exhale in a "blowing" sort of way. I pretty much pant.
No matter, I feel pretty good about my last few runs.

My longest run since, well, a long time

Yesterday, I ran (well, mostly jogged) up and jogged (perhaps closer to a fast walk) down the 65 steps in the school lot about 22 times. I felt it during and after, but just not enough to give myself a day off today. With that in mind, this morning I decided to try a longer run, without pushing myself speed-wise.

I did not time my first (usual) mile, though it was probably around 11 minutes. The middle part of my run was on Greensburg Pike, which I used to run on when I lived in the Forest Hills/Chalfant area. I sped up a little during that part because I noticed two senior citizens running at about the same pace as I was; there was just no way I was going to let grandma and grandpa outpace me! Fortunately, there are no killer hills on that road, just some smaller up- and downhills, and I ended up running that leg of the journey in under 25 minutes. I tried to take a slight advantage of the last, mostly downhill mile (I again passed the grandparents), though that mile still took me about nine minutes to complete.

I ended up finishing the run in 45 minutes, give or take a minute. When I measured the jaunt, I was happy to see I ran almost 4.5 miles. I am guessing the last time I ran that far was during the Great Race in 2002 (I actually ran 6.2 miles, since I ran the 10k).

The thing about running races, at least for me, but I bet for most people, is you don't really need to run that distance on a regular basis. If you can run close to it without taxing yourself too much, then you will probably be fine to run farther. This entire summer, I ran 3 miles only twice, and yet I managed to run the 3.1 5k on Saturday just fine.

Anyway, I felt pretty good at the end of today's run, confident I can run even farther next time. So much so, that if I were going to be in town on September 26, I would so be running the Great Race (at a very slow pace, mind you). I guess I will just have to try to get in some more longer runs, for my own satisfaction.

I ran around the square!

It took me almost four years to run in a 5k race (and about 11 months since I started running again), but I finally did it. Yeah, me!

Here are my thoughts:

• I was pretty nervous last night, and I did not sleep well as a result.
• When I arrived in Regent Square this morning, I had a lot of trouble finding a parking space. In 2002, there were 865 runners. This year, there were almost 1,600 runners plus 372 runners who ran the 1.5-mile race (which did not exist in '02). Quite a difference.
• When I walked from my car to the start (a few blocks), my ankle hurt. Fortunately, that went away.
• It was a beautiful day for a race. Probably around 60 degrees with low humidity when it started.
• It was weird not to have someone to start off a race with; when I used to run 5Ks, I almost always had my friend Zuri and/or MBB to begin a race with.
• For the first time in a race, I waited until almost everyone else had started running before I crossed the starting line, which took almost three minutes. Back in the day, I would try to stand/start with the eight-mile pace crowd.
• I liked waiting around to start (well, except that it meant I had to dodge the walkers). Less pressure and fanfare.
• Along with a smile, I am pretty sure I got a tear in my eye as I began the race. It felt good to be doing this again.
• I was glad to see the people cheering, singing, playing instruments (love me some steel drums), and passing out beer and champagne along the way. Great motivators.
• I actually took advantage of the downhills, more so at the end.
• Having run this 5k only once and eight years ago at that, I had forgotten how the course went, so I really could not "plan" for my best pacing.
• Now having just run it, I can say it was probably a good layout--you start off mostly flat and slightly downhill, then you move to a tough mile 2, which is mostly uphill. The last approximately half mile is downhill, which gives you a chance to kick it in.
• I am so glad I did not trip; between the cobblestone in the first mile and the rocky trail for another 1.5 miles, I came close at least once.
• A few times during the second mile, I contemplated running very slowly. In fact, at one point the thought of walking crossed my mind; the uphill climb, although not steep, seemed never-ending. But I just went with a slower-than-usual pace to get through it.
• And that meant I had the energy to pretty much sprint down the final hill.
• When I finished the race, I had a smile on my face (and, I am pretty sure, another tear in my eye).

The most notable thing about this race compared to what I remember from previous ones was that I did not push myself super hard. As I mentioned in another post, I used to be very competitive, so I would give it my absolute all, more so than a regular run. But this time, as evidenced by my waiting so long to start and taking it easy up the hills, I just wanted to prove to myself I could do it and do it with a little grace.

Yes, in the back of my mind, I wanted to finish in about 30 minutes. But last week, when I realized I finished the Run in 28:14 when I was in the best running shape of my life eight years ago, I was pretty sure 30 minutes was not going to happen, and I was just going to have to be okay with that.

Ultimately, I finished it in 30:08. I am really proud of myself, though, honestly the tiniest bit disappointed that I did not finish in under 30 when I clearly could have. Because I ran no harder than I do when I run regularly (and probably even less hard), I could have sprinted another quarter of a mile for sure at the end. Had I known where the finish line was, I would have run even harder/faster those last few tenths.

But the good news is that because I did well and yet did not quite achieve that under-30 time, I want to run in another 5k to prove to myself I can do.

Oh, I plan on it.

Running around an indoor track

Over the weekend, I took my daughter to a birthday party at the Oxford Athletic Club in Wexford. While she was playing games, I ran around the track. At the club, 10 laps equal one mile, versus only 4 laps on the local outdoor track; yet I actually found this run to be less boring than on the outdoor track. Being around others has always been a good motivator for me; I don't want people to think I am slow or out of shape, so I am sure that helped keep me going. Running in the AC certainly did not hurt!

A big downside of a short track, at least for me, is I have trouble keeping track of how many laps I have run. I am pretty sure I ran only 8, not 10, when I thought I had completed my first mile. I just don't see how I could have run a mile in just over six minutes, even though I was running at a pretty decent pace, obviously without any hills. But when I correctly counted laps later, the about eight minutes seemed much more accurate, if not disappointing.

I ended up running about three miles (maybe two laps shy). I threw in a fast lap a couple of times as well as a few slower ones for good measure. It was a nice change of pace, and, more importantly, it was good to get another run in just over a week after my last one.

Finally hit three miles

Or at least I came close, anyway.

I had a lot of time to kill yesterday, and time is often my biggest enemy when it comes to running. I tend to have about 30 minutes or so to get my run in, including a couple of minutes of walking (cooling down) and stretching, so I usually have to settle for about two miles. Yesterday I had about 1.5 hours, so I figured I should try for three miles.

I skipped most of the big hill at the beginning, but I pretty much made up for it by running up and down four other, smaller side streets. I passed some guy on the way up and back, a guy who "looked" like a runner. He had the shiny running shorts and matching shirt (or maybe it was a body suit). His form, like most runners, was better than mine. But I was just happy I was able to keep going, to run as long as I did. After I cooled down and stretched for a few minutes, I also took a brisk walk to a coffee shop, for another 15 minutes.

Last week I tweaked my knee. I was walking in the woods and my foot hit a tree root kind of funny. The pain was intense, though it fortunately subsided after a few minutes. However, I was very uncomfortable sleeping that night. I did not run the next four days, just to be safe. I was really worried that I might have to give up running and my goal of a 5k this year, but assuming I can keep going and keep my pain to a minimum, I am still hoping to run that 5k at some point.

Time will tell.

In the zone

I mentioned in another post how when I run, I would think about random things. But I realized that when I run now, I pretty much think of nothing.

My run begins up a rather steep hill. I am not sure if that is the best way to start a run, but I can say during the couple of minutes it takes me to get up what feels like a mountain, I am pretty much sucking wind and could not possible think of anything else. The next few minutes I am mostly trying to recover (i.e., stop gasping for air) while attempting to look like this is easy for me. The reason for the facade? I don't want the numerous parents who drive by me on their way to the school to think I am out of shape. Crazy, I know. I don't care if someone thinks my hair is too flat (it is) or that I dress like a poor college student (many dress better than I). But for the love of Pete, the thought of someone thinking I am struggling while running is almost unbearable.

But I digress. When I ran on Wednesday, I actually looked at the cars that passed me (something I pretty much never do), and at least five people waved to me. I am pretty sure they were all parents on their way to school; I recognized most of the cars. I wonder if these people normally wave to me, and I am just too much in the zone to notice (or too busy gasping for air while trying to look unfazed).

I am going to try to be more observant when I run next week and concentrate on more than not getting run over or tripping. But I am not going to lie: I will still continue to pretend like running up that hill is barely a strain.