on the iPod: "twist and shout" -- the beatles
While never going so far as to actually consider canceling, I definitely wasn't looking forward to it. I surmised that i'd probably get about two thirds of the way through, throw my hands in the air, and just quit. Chalk it up to a crappy snow day. Maybe do some pushups or something instead. But as the week progressed, the need to run a long distance changed my attitude about having to run on a treadmill. So much so that last night I was actually looking forward to it. I cooked up this really elaborate plan in my mind about how I was going to suffer through the 12 miles and not want to scrape my eyeballs out with broken glass. I thought about it and mulled it over for days. Looking back on it now, I realize how basic and simple it was. The plan was to run six miles, take a quick break, and then run six more. Brilliant. The Nobel committee should be calling any minute.
I've been doing my short mid-week runs on one for the last month and have come to a mutual understanding with the machine. Get in, go fast, and get the mileage done. But a long run?? Not outdoors? Blasphemy! Mother nature disagreed, however, dumping double-digit amounts of snow on Fayetteville, essentially rendering the trails and streets un-runable. And if the local weather people know what they're talking about, there's more snow to come during this upcoming work week. This means that next weekend's long run of 14 miles could very well be on a treadmill again. It's official. I'm a treadmill runner. Damnit.
The first six miles went surprisingly well. I got into a great pace around 9:41 and went with it. That's nowhere near the pace that i'll run for Oklahoma City, but i'm trying to work on speed and get a PR at the Little Rock half in March. After that, the prudent thing to do will be to slow down to something closer to an 11:00 minute mile. It's difficult for me to slow down, but I know 26.2 is a helluva long way, and I must keep my abilities in perspective. We're not all born in Kenya. Just sayin'...
After sticking to my scheduled break of approximately 45 seconds, I jumped back on for another six. All was well and good until mile nine, when I started to feel the slightest bit of fatigue. It wasn't overwhelming by any stretch of the imagination, but it was there. I slugged on and finished the final four miles, intently watching both the clock and the odometer inch slowly forward. They seemed to be moving at a snail's pace when what I wanted was them to strike like lightning. Snails and lighthing. I must work on my patience. Mental note.
The one positive about running on a treadmill, if there is a positive, might be the TV screen that protrudes from the front of the machine. And it's not some cheap, funky TV, but rather a nice, crisp flat-screen number. And it has cable. Score! So in my two-hour stretch I watched an episode of What Not To Wear (I love Clint and Stacy), the first half of the Vanderbilt/South Carolina basketball game (Vandy's court is kinda creepy), and about 5 minutes of Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Ben Stein saying "anyone?.... anyone?.... anyone?" makes me laugh out loud and love teaching). The entire experience reminds me of how mind-numbingly stupid television can be and thankful that mine is almost always turned off at home.
Feeling satisfied and satiated after getting in 12 miles, I came home and pulled a stunt. I'd been contemplating it for weeks now and had pretty much made up my mind that it was going to happen. The surprising part, for me, was that it happened at the same time. Up until now I'd assumed that i'd take care of it over a span of a month or so. But that's not how it played out. I poured myself a really tall Coke, sat down, thought about it one last time for about 20 seconds, got out my debit card, and pulled the trigger. I registered for the Oklahoma City Marathon AND the Chicago Marathon. All at once. Right there. Done and done. An excitement and burst of energy penetrated my veins as I sat back and smiled, Radiohead's The Bends playing loud enough for the neighbors to hear. Endorphins are my friend.
Now that i'm registered, it's time to amp up the training. And hopefully not on a treadmill. But the winter months aren't done yet, i'm afraid, so if it's gotta be on a treadmill, I suppose i'm cool with that. But with the first inkling of sunny skies and dry trails, don't look for me indoors. I'll be back outside, laced up and logging miles. It's where I'm supposed to be.
Run.
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