Yes, Becky, Jon and Woody, I was showing off. I admit it. After Saturday/Sunday's Vermont 100 when I went hiking with Kurt and Sarah, and ran back from the bath house, I did that in part to show off. "Hey look at me, I ran 19 hours in the mountains, and I can still run around."
Well, aint, I great? Turns out, not so much.
When I got back to Tampa Town on Wednesday, I figured it was time to crank up the running engine again. Hence, on Thursday I ran to the post office and back, about 3 1/2 miles. First sign that I aint all of that: 72 miles in the mountains of Vermont = 0 falls. 3 1/2 miles on the paved roads in Seminole Heights (I moved there for you Dave and Natalie!) = 1 Hard fall (like a salami!). Friday, I ran on Bayshore for 6.4 miles. Uneventful, so I figured, I'm up for a challenge. I call up my buddy Davo, "Davo, how about 15 at Flatwoods tomorrow?".... "Yeah, hey, I only ran 72 miles, no I'm feeling great!" "7 am, we're on!"
Davo, isn't like me, he's a fast runner. Well, I used to be the same speed as Davo, maybe even a tick more rapid. Well two things happened: Davo got faster, and I turned to 100-Milers. Oh, I'm still fast for a 100-Miler, but that's kind of like being fast for a Mummy. If you don't get paralyzed by fear, I think you have a reasonable chance of outrunning a mummy. Hey, I don't mind losing the speed, it's a trade-off. I do the occasional marathon as speedwork. That's not bragging it's true. In 100-milers if we average 4.1 miles per hour (about 14-Minute-Miles) we will usually get a special award. So, if I go out and do a 4-Hour marathon, that's about 4 1/2 minutes a mile faster than my 100-mile pace, that's speedwork.
Anyway, as often as I can I like to try to pick up the pace and run with my friend Davo. He really pushes me (it's a stone-cold breeze for him) and he's great company. Anyway, I was feeling a touch of hubris on my quick comeback from Vermont.
I knew right from the start that I was in trouble. Davo is talking philosophy as we run, and I'm sucking in so much air that there isn't a mosquito left in Eastern Hillsborough County. But, I figure, it's ONLY 15 miles, I'll be fine.
I can't be positive, but I'm pretty sure the mummy past me at mile 14 as I was walking that last mile. Oh, well, hare today, goon tomorrow, I guess!
Love you all!
AndyMan
5 comments:
Oh, Tut-Tut, old Egyptian wisdom: "Run 72 miles on Sunday, lay off on following Saturday, dipshit."
I am glad that you considered that "little" run that we did in Palm Beach as "speed" work!
Arlene,
Yes, it was speed work, too speedy for me! Arlene qualifies for Boston and I go jump in a lake (er, a pond anyway!)
No Sunday? All right, everyone needs a day off. No Monday? Er, Andy, wake up! Time to write. No Tuesday? Someone call the police!
Dave, our boy was frolicking at the beach with his daughter, two dogs, and me. Absent the distractions of these high maintenance chicks and pooches, I am sure he'd have been boggin' away. Next time, you'll just have to join us!
Post a Comment