Thoughts from the Trail -3

Saturday, "recovery" run.  Training schedule says 3 miles, Uncle Ray (who has probably run more marathons than I have years behind me) says to kick it up to 5 or 6 miles.   I decide to drive to a different starting spot (rather than tackling the hill right outside my door or having to charge up the hill to get home at the end of the run) to see what the trails look like from that part of town.

Had to do Thursday night's 30 minute (easy 3 miles) run on Friday night.  So Saturday morning probably wasn't a good idea?   Shins are KILLING me!

First thought out of the gate:  "OMG, What the heck was I thinking ?!?!?!"

Second thought:   "Maybe I can run the 1/2 marathon without training."

Third thought:  "There's a breakfast place around here.  No one will know if I just go there instead of running.  I'd be home about the same time, right?"

The trail itself was the same as others - a paseo along the "river" or wash which meanders through town.  Past a park and over an old railroad bridge to a fork in the road.  For you Muppet Movie fans out there, no, it was not an actual fork in the road.  And if you're an Anglophile, perhaps the term "roundabout" is more appropriate?

I took the path to the left and ended up on the road less traveled.  Literally.  It turned to gravel right under the freeway overpass.  While I still have not figured out where the bikers went who had gone past me, I decided to turn around and head back to the more traveled parts of the trail.  It was a struggle, because of the heat and the sun and the worn out legs that decided they just did not want to do more.  In the end, I think I logged about 3.5 or maybe even 3.75 miles.  I stopped at Jamba Juice for breakfast for everyone on my way home.

Later that day, I ended up at the runner's store to buy new shoes.  No, my paltry 3.75 mile run did not wear them out, but they are breaking down.  I've been told by several runners (who apparently are "in the know") that I would need new shoes before the "big event" Labor Day weekend.  So I decided to get them now and break them in a little.  We'll see how that goes.

This Saturday is supposed to be 12 miles.  UGH!   I'll be back home celebrating my friend T's wedding, so I'm not sure how much much running I'll get in Saturday morning.  Does chasing a 2 year old flower girl down the aisle while wearing 4 inch heels count for mileage?   The mid-week runs may suffer as well this week, as life-as-usual in the Cohen house is giving way to some travel and tourism in the Midwest.  I'll probably post something about it here in a week or two.

In the meantime, happy trails!