Late last week my daughter texted me while I was at work to ask if she could run a local 5K race. I, of course, consented and asked her if she would like for me to run it with her. She said that she did. The race that she wanted to run was the We're On The Move 5K that benefited Down Syndrome of Louisville. The race was Saturday, which was suppose to be my 10 mile long run, but after a rough night I decided that I would push the long run to Sunday and spend the time encouraging my little girl's desire to run.
After a quick breakfast and a trip through Starbucks we were at the Louisville Waterfront and at the Start by 8:00 A.M. The race started at 8:15. As the morning temperatures were around 45 degrees, Isa was able to experience her first Fall morning pre-race chill.
The turnout seemed modest - I would guess very easily less than 1000 runners. We arrived just a few minutes before the race and we started out only about 15 yards from the starting line. All without much fanfare or ceremony.
The race itself was a simple out and back that started out from the Waterfront and traveled down River Road, ending back where we had started. There were no chip timers or race clocks (except for a single one at the finish line); placement was old school with bib tags being torn off and put on a string as runners came in.
Isa did great during the race. She took my advice not to start out too fast and I let her set the pace and lead the way the entire race. Just past half way and she wanted to walk. The walk didn't last long as a passing runner commented on how proud she was of Isa to be running the race. With that encouragement the little girl picked it back up and our pace increased. I could tell that she was struggling however, letting herself start to focus on the discomfort that I know she was feeling. So I told her to start targeting other runners ahead of her to pass. We took turns then, choosing runners ahead and picking them off one by one with a high five after each.
The last runner that she chose to go after was a real challenge. At least 300 meters ahead and with only about half a mile to go to the finish. But Isa turned it on and pursued her target relentlessly, closing the distance and passing the other runner as we turned for the final stretch to the finish. I think she really was proud of herself. Especially considering she wanted to wait around at the finish to look for the other runners that she had passed.
We spent the rest of the morning having breakfast and shopping for Halloween costumes.
Sunday morning I had to work. As I had made the decision to push my training long run off to Sunday and since my best runs are usually in the morning. And since I needed to be available to respond quickly while at work, I decided that the best thing to do was to hit the treadmill in the gym.
Now 10 miles on a treadmill is a mind numbingly painful thing. I have put in as much at 18 miles on a treadmill before (training for the KDF Marathon in March of this year). However, realistically I can say that anything beyond a 10K on a treadmill is really pushing it for me. The treadmill at work is actually not a bad one at all. The problem with it is that it is rarely used (I'm probably the one who uses it the most) and therefore it is relegated to a corner of the gym, where your only forward view is staring straight at a blank wall (see below).
As you can see from the pic above, there isn't a whole lot to keep oneself occupied with beyond watching the digital readout on the screen as the miles go by; much akin to waiting for water to boil, which is why I often cover the screen with my sweat towel. You can see my hydration to the left and my fuel (in the form of the reliable triple venti mocha) to the right. Of course the work radio is readily within reach as well.
If you are wondering what the sign on the wall says, it reads, "Do Not Strike Bob With Batons! Do Not Kick Bob With Boots Or Shoes On!" Now before you start wondering, "What the hell?" and worry about who Bob is and why anyone would want to beat Bob with such alacrity, meet Bob:
Bob is actually an acronym and stands for Body Opponent Bag and is a life-sized mannequin that is used for more precise and realistic training of striking, etc. than the traditional boxing heavy bags. Bob is pretty resilient and although he looks pretty mean, I've never once heard him utter a single complaint about how he is treated.
So ten miles and a couple of hours later and I was all too ready to be off the treadmill and out of the gym. You see, not only is 10 miles on a treadmill boredom incarnate, it is also an express train for all those mental demons to show up. You know the ones: the self-critiquing, the after-action reviews of work, the list of things waiting to be done at home that you can never get to, etc. The list goes on and on. They wait for those all too infrequent moments when you are alone with your thoughts and then they show up to crash the party. So the time becomes not only a test of your physical endurance but your mental endurance as well. Definitely not for the weak of spirit.
Good thing for me I had mental images of a special little girl on the move, selecting targets and determinedly picking them off one by one. That made watching the miles click by a little easier.
The turnout seemed modest - I would guess very easily less than 1000 runners. We arrived just a few minutes before the race and we started out only about 15 yards from the starting line. All without much fanfare or ceremony.
The race itself was a simple out and back that started out from the Waterfront and traveled down River Road, ending back where we had started. There were no chip timers or race clocks (except for a single one at the finish line); placement was old school with bib tags being torn off and put on a string as runners came in.
Isa did great during the race. She took my advice not to start out too fast and I let her set the pace and lead the way the entire race. Just past half way and she wanted to walk. The walk didn't last long as a passing runner commented on how proud she was of Isa to be running the race. With that encouragement the little girl picked it back up and our pace increased. I could tell that she was struggling however, letting herself start to focus on the discomfort that I know she was feeling. So I told her to start targeting other runners ahead of her to pass. We took turns then, choosing runners ahead and picking them off one by one with a high five after each.The last runner that she chose to go after was a real challenge. At least 300 meters ahead and with only about half a mile to go to the finish. But Isa turned it on and pursued her target relentlessly, closing the distance and passing the other runner as we turned for the final stretch to the finish. I think she really was proud of herself. Especially considering she wanted to wait around at the finish to look for the other runners that she had passed.
We spent the rest of the morning having breakfast and shopping for Halloween costumes.
Sunday morning I had to work. As I had made the decision to push my training long run off to Sunday and since my best runs are usually in the morning. And since I needed to be available to respond quickly while at work, I decided that the best thing to do was to hit the treadmill in the gym.
Now 10 miles on a treadmill is a mind numbingly painful thing. I have put in as much at 18 miles on a treadmill before (training for the KDF Marathon in March of this year). However, realistically I can say that anything beyond a 10K on a treadmill is really pushing it for me. The treadmill at work is actually not a bad one at all. The problem with it is that it is rarely used (I'm probably the one who uses it the most) and therefore it is relegated to a corner of the gym, where your only forward view is staring straight at a blank wall (see below).
 |
| My view for nearly two hours. |
If you are wondering what the sign on the wall says, it reads, "Do Not Strike Bob With Batons! Do Not Kick Bob With Boots Or Shoes On!" Now before you start wondering, "What the hell?" and worry about who Bob is and why anyone would want to beat Bob with such alacrity, meet Bob:
 |
| One mean and tough SOB. |
So ten miles and a couple of hours later and I was all too ready to be off the treadmill and out of the gym. You see, not only is 10 miles on a treadmill boredom incarnate, it is also an express train for all those mental demons to show up. You know the ones: the self-critiquing, the after-action reviews of work, the list of things waiting to be done at home that you can never get to, etc. The list goes on and on. They wait for those all too infrequent moments when you are alone with your thoughts and then they show up to crash the party. So the time becomes not only a test of your physical endurance but your mental endurance as well. Definitely not for the weak of spirit.
Good thing for me I had mental images of a special little girl on the move, selecting targets and determinedly picking them off one by one. That made watching the miles click by a little easier.
