Stories from Past Runs: Falls

So I've known some runners who fall more than others, some who fall quite often, and others who seem to never fall at all. I "fall" into the category of runners who fall about once a year. The particularly funny part about this is that I seem to have an internal gauge that starts alerting me around the eight month mark. A blinking red light will begin to flash in my mind that allows me the grace of knowing that a fall will be visiting me soon, or at least in the next few months.

The last fall I can remember was during the winter. Running in my fancy CWX tights (extra stability - you actually have to sit down to put them on b/c they are so tight) I went out for a nice eight miler with my brother Bryan. While pivoting to run around a corner my foot hit slippery mud and went flying out from underneath me. Wham - knee to pavement hard and then a roll.

While training for college I used to really enjoy running the Wolf River trail from Germantown Road to the bridge at Walnut Grove Road and back. I was doing almost all of my running on my own at the time and used to really move on that trail (the trail was always much nicer then which I attribute to my daily use). Great trail to get you totally in shade for eight miles, and it's nice because you have to pay attention to the roots, small jumps, quick turns, and logs! One wonderful run on that trail I was blazing along (it seemed fast to me but who knows) and had just reached a small portion of the run I always thought of as "safe." As I started speeding up on this nicely flat and smooth portion of the trail when I caught what had to have been the only small root on the trail for at least 100 meters. Usually I can roll pretty well and hop back up... I went flying straight out on my belley and slid for about six feet or so. All by myself I got up and looked around, brushed myself off, looked for blood, checked for injuries, and ran off in my embarrased stride.

The best I can remember: A leisurely stroll with my brother, a friend, and my wife on a bike (fiancee at the time). While moving up the sidewalk in Germantown Sarah was attempting to ride next to me so that we could talk. This proved to be a bad idea. It would have worked fine if not for the telephone poles that some jerk decided to place in the middle of the sidewalk. No I didn't hit a pole, but while looking over my shoulder to talk to Sarah while she held back to go around the pole is when I found some bricks. Have you ever seen those brick walls they have built all over Germantown neighborhoods that for some reason start off gradually at a foot high and work up to eight feet high? Well my foot somehow caught on this foot high wall and sent me flying into a tumultous tumble. Suddenly I was sitting down facing the road quite confused. I still have a scar on my back from where I skipped off the bricks.

Falls - only one thing happens every time - I have to get back up! Keep getting up folks.

Comment and tell me about your falls too! And look forward for more stories of more falls!

Up, Up and Away....

So I have done a better job of getting my training sessions in...that is good news. Now it is time to decide when to get technical with my workouts. Since Boston I have really only done LSD (not the drug, the long slow distance.) There have been a few random tempos but nothing planned and no intervals. Every week I have been trying to slowly increase the amount of time that our runs last. That seems easier to me starting back than shooting for mileage. Meow we are up to running at least 50 minutes almost every session. So now the question is where do we go from here?

Today I ran with two other fellas...you know who you are...and we tossed in 4 x 200 meters after out run. I was just hoping to hit about 35 seconds for the distance. It always seems harder than you remember it when you start adding speed to your regiment. I thought I could cruise a 35 for a 200 no problem? But I'm sure everyone feels that way. So from here I'll most likely start making Tuesdays my track days and slowly start dialing up the intensity. If I can average an hour run a day, track workout on Tuesday, Tempo on Thursdays and a long run on Saturdays for a few weeks, then maybe I'll get in respectable 5k shape? I guess we'll see.

Sweat Out The Weakness...

I've run for huge high school teams, small college squads and no team but my own. I've trained with my rivals, best friends and family. I always laughed at people who would miss a training day for no real reason at all. And yet suddenly I have become that guy who only runs when conditions are right. I'm not even talking about just the weather. I have to feel like running and have a group to meet up with. Several times recently I've found myself without a running buddy on a morning run and actually stayed in bed instead of hit the roads. What has happened to me? Did I get spoiled having a consistent group to train with during our recent marathon training? Has the 26.2 simply zapped my desire to get out there? Whatever the reason....or do we call them excuses....I've found myself in state of weakness.

The good news in all of this is that I've identified my weakness much as an alcoholic admits to his addiction. Apparently I'm addicted to comfort and idleness. Well I've decided to change. No longer will the weather influence my distance. I'll charge out in the rain and be washed clean of my laziness. I will sweat the weakness from my pours in the 100 degree heat. I call running the pain train for a reason. It's time to hop aboard and let out some steam. And I'm not referring to racing yet....you can't race mean until you train mean. Pain has to be practiced.

So all aboard....choo choo...