Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Running Backwards... Sorta

"Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes (turn and face the strain) Ch-ch-changes, Pretty soon now you're gonna get a little older, Time may change me, But I cant trace time" David Bowie

SUCCESS!! First I'd like to say that being able to run wearing shorts and a short sleeved shirt in Connecticut on November 5th was truly a gift. Wednesday is a Weight Watchers work night, so I had planned to go 3 miles. However, I felt great at the end and had a little extra time, so I did 2 laps around the block for an extra mile. My time was decent (33:40; 8:20/M), so I'm happy. I decided to be creative, and run my 3 mile course backwards. OK, I didn't run backwards, but rather ran it in reverse. My reasoning was twofold. First, it would allow me to start with a less hilly first mile, and finish downhill. Second, it would psychologically be a different route to run. Well, stupid me forgot about the STEEPER hill I had to run up for the first quarter mile. That hill is usually part of the downward part of the last quarter mile I run to the finish. Having conquered that and breaking into a sweat much earlier than I anticipated, I was good until halfway through when I saw a nasty hill waiting my ascent..yes, a hill that's normally DOWNHILL. I had an easier time running over it than I thought I would, but I realized at that point that I would have been better off running my route the regular way. Important thing is that I was able to go to work with an official "Runner's High," and that I beat the pouring rain that occurred a half hour after I completed my run. Perhaps I'll step on the scale tomorrow...

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