Saturday was the weekly team run, this week at Sequiota Park. The temperature was in the low 20s, but the sun was out. I dressed for the cold, with a stocking cap, light blue gloves (that belong to my teen-aged sis-in-law) and my purple long-sleeved Under Armour mock turtleneck and tights. Quite an ensemble. I'd post a pic, but your computer screen might melt from the hawtness.
I had an easy 3-mile run scheduled for the day, so I was looking forward to the run...until I realized the course Coach Richard had planned for us. We headed south on Lone Pine until we hit Republic Road, where we turned right. Dang, I thought. I'm in trouble.
See, there's this hill there. A big one. And we had to run up it. I didn't have a camera handy, but the hill looked something like this:
"This is where we separate the men from the boys," Coach Richard said. To tell the truth, I'm still not sure where I stand. I knew right away that running to the summit was not a good idea. Not, at least, if I hoped to finish my run with both lungs intact. I set a goal for a road sign near the top and, once I reached it, I allowed myself to walk for 60 seconds.
My goal from then on was to keep the lead pack in sight (the men to this boy). I accomplished that feat, slowly working my way downhill towards Sequiota Park. Towards the end of the run I was encouraged by a pair of geese, honking as they flew overhead.
Well, at least one of them encouraged me. I'm pretty sure the second one was laughing at my purple legs.
So, my time for the run was somewhere in the 32-minute range. I'm pleased with it, considering the tough hill work early on and the minute-long walk break. Hill work, though hard, is crucial. I hear there are several hills on the Nashville course.
The running has gone well this week. I did my speed work Wednesday, covering two miles in just under 20 minutes. This Saturday, a five-miler...which will become my longest run ever. Wish me luck.
Fundraising Update: We're still slowly climbing towards $1900. We're up to $1144, 60% of the goal, with just about two months to go. Thanks again to all who have donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through my Team In Training run. Be sure to share this with your friends and families, especially those who have been touched by cancer. With your help we can work towards a cure and improve the quality of life for all those afflicted with these diseases. Here's the fundraising link:
http://www.active.com/donate/tntmida/tntmidajkessin
--Jeff
P.S. - Here's a good laugh for you. I stumbled across the video somewhere in the blogosphere. It's a clip from auditions for the presidents race they hold at Washington Nationals games. I'll never get tired of TJ biting it.
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