Nice and Easy

The heat is not done with us yet.  In fact, on a rare day of trying to catch a few rays, something I haven't done almost all summer, the heat has been so intense, I went over to the pool at the beginning of the holiday weekend only to bail after about an hour.  The Sun felt like an opened oven;  it was not the warming feeling- it was a burning, blast- and not comfortable.  I was glad we had a chance to get to the beach later in the weekend, and later in the day.  That wonderful warmth that melts deep into my tired muscles was there....and the sounds and smells of the surf, the happy laughter of kids, all gave me that holiday feel I needed.

I pulled out a nice long run on Sunday, just keeping it within reason on the big Griffin loop.  Today I took the loop to the south and wound around the overpass, down to Arthur and back on Thomas.  It was a tired and unimpressive effort;  but I made up for lack of umph with a few periods of strides just to rev the engines a bit.  This is about a 6+ miler, so the same as my smaller Griffin loop.  Just enough to press, not enough to fatigue.  I would like to say I am more comfortable at these short distances, but the heat is not helping.  Time, for that, is on my side.

I am aware of how slow I really am every time I happen to get passed by another runner (not often, very few folks out on the roads this year)...and watch their relaxed gait- as they leave me in their dust!  For whatever reasons, I cannot turn over my feet very fast.  And since I don't do drills or other types of workouts, I'm sure this is the basic reason why.  For me, running has been as simple as I can do it:  I run shorter during the week, longer on the weekend.  I run even longer if I have a race.  I think of myself as 'out on a trek' which requires a faster pace than a walk, as if skimming the savannas in a very ancient time.  I want to TAKE my time.  I run to see the sights, the landscape.  The escape from the clock, the civilized sitting is what motivates me out the door.  I may be the slowest runner around, but I'm still out there- where are you?

My clients always have excuses why they can't do things, even the simplest.  I recognize that line of thinking.  Food and exercise are two things we can accommodate by making even the most basic choices.  I learned long ago that my body would go where I led it, which took me from smoker and sweets eater to athlete wanna-be.  OK athlete.  I qualify that because I know the daily dedication it takes to meet the kind of goals I secretly harbor.  One day, as I climb the ladder of ability, occasionally falling off, I hope to achieve that balance between obsessive zeal and comfort as my system keeps "tuning" itself to the new vibrations twanging all around us.  As the momentum of change keeps revving higher, so does our adaptation.  Keep making all the right moves; watch your gait gain momentum and take you along for the ride!