Tonight I set out on a run, with a plan in my head. Run a 4 mile route through Montrose (one of my favorites), stop at home for some water I had left out and then do 2 miles at about 9min pace (if and only if the legs were feeling better and up to it). My schedule actually called for an 8:40 pace but I a) knew that wasnt going to happen and b) speed work 10 days out is not really going to help much IMHO.
Donned the iPod (really starting to enjoy this, but with the inclement weather at Sundays race I could not wear it)...and off I went.
As I was running the last mile of my 4 mile route, I had to stop at a light and I looked to my right and thought "hmm...I think I want to run down there". So I did. Then I ran down some other street. Then another. It was a quiet residential neighborhood snuggled into the heart of the city; with folks walking their puppies and lots of duplexes too to look at and take fliers for advertising For Lease with information and floor plans! I tucked a few that I could fit into the tiny shorts pocket on my running shorts then would take off again.
Pretty soon I kinda didnt realize where and how far I had run, so I turned back towards a street I did know. Then when I got close to home, I took off in yet another direction, going backwards and adding on more mileage. I just didnt see any reason to go by the house for water.
I was doing just fine. It was about 60deg out, the sun had set but it was dusk so there was still some light, and a bit of humidity but nothing I couldnt bear :).
It just turned into a great little run, and I never did do those 9 min miles, but you know what? I didnt care about that either. Today's run was all about losing myself in my surroundings, waving at people and petting their dogs as I would run past, sometimes stopping, taking one earbud out, just to pet the dog and to say hi.
Sometimes its just the kind of run that a person needs. Not about time, distance or speed. I dont know how fast I ran, how far, but I do know I ran for over an hour. Thats good enough for me.
Sometimes its just about the simple joy of being able to just run.
Do you ever have spaztic runs like that? Set off with a plan, lose yourself and end up having just a glorious time!??!!
4 comments:
Runs like those are almost always the best kind! Great way to break out of our routine and just, well, run:)
That's awesome! Those are the type of runs that keep us "in love" with running. Glad you had a great time!
I love those runs! I did something like that once and actually got lost - I had to call my husband to look up where I was and give me directions home.
I wish that I could be good at running but I always feel like dying when I go running. Maybe eventually i`ll become stronger.
xo
Post a Comment