That’s how long today’s run was, and I am gonna jot this down before the end of the day when I am out of energy. The pup n I did it in 1h18m35s, which Garmin tells me is an 11:48/mi pace. From last Wednesday’s 5.88 in 1h13m34s at 12.33/mi pace, we raised and beat our performance!
A little longer, a little faster, that’s an improvement, right? I’m not looking for magic here, just incremental progress.
Did you notice my tone is different after the run vs the night before? I have a habit of planning for the worst, almost expecting it, and when that does not happen, I feel better. I am sure there is a better psychological approach to this, but that is kinda how I get through each trial.
For better or worse, the weather turned sour this morning; at least, it was raining most of the way. Yes, I checked last night, and the ultra-reliable (sarcasm) weather app showed rain at night but clear in the morning. However, when I put the pup out for her morning duties and the trash out, I realized the weather had changed. So I changed and put my silk long-sleeve base layer under a reflective running shirt. We took off after the girls left for school at 6:30 am. It was still twilight, so our lights and reflectors were on. From the Monday run, I switched out my headlamp to the one without a battery in the rear so my hat would settle on my head better, and it worked. The pup got her two red blinkers on the top n back and one white from the front of her vest.
With our visibility in check, we took off, and since the pup had already pooped, I felt our intervals should be pretty consistent with a 30-second run and a 30-second walk.
I also put on the Shokz open-run headset to listen to the environment and music, and my interval monitoring ability dissolved with the added distraction of the rain just as I thought I was getting it. You see, the Garmin I wear now that tracks the run/walk interval is smaller than the one I used in the past, so the vibration is less noticeable. The audio cue never makes it to my old ears. On my first run with the headset, I realized I had to pay more attention to the vibration as it was easy to miss when listening to music. Over time, I have tuned my mind to expect the vibration, even with music. I also know that the Lord’s Prayer takes me about 30 seconds to recite in my head, which is another good way to track. But today, with the rain illuminated at the bill of my hat with the headlamp and the sounds it made around me, it was enough to negate the tools I used to detect the 30 seconds.
Sure, it was just a matter of training, and after the halfway mark, I was better, but it took more mental concentration to stay on top of it.
Overall, it was a good run/walk, and I look forward to raising and beating the bar we set today next Wednesday.
The Mrs also went out for a walk after we got back, but I let the pu stay home for that mile n half-recovery walk in the rain. The pup looked very comfortable in her kennel, but I need to watch her. Toward the end, she might have limped a little, and I know her paws can be sensitive, so I want to check them later today.
But for now, I will pivot to work and wish you a great day.
Thanks for listening.
Mama’s Friend