76 degrees
the downtown loop, long
Inspired by a Bernadette Mayer poem that I just encountered, here’s a summary of my run today:
11 miles to run
11 miles to run
10 fingers to flex
9 toes that aren’t purple
8 bridges to run under
7 times to wonder, why am I doing this?
6 dogs to encounter
5 hills to climb
4 weeks until the 1/2 marathon
3 water breaks
2 bridges to run over
1 river to run alongside
And here are some things that I thought about today on my run:
- I am hot.
- My legs are tired.
- I am thirsty.
- I like running down this long hill. Why can’t my run be one long downhill? Not a steep downhill, but a gentle one. I could live in a small cottage, near the banks of the Mississippi, at the bottom of the hill. I would drive, or take a tram, up the hill, before starting my run. Then I would only have to run down that hill to get home. So much easier than having to run up and down, up and down these hills along the river.
- Nooo, I didn’t mean to put Patsy Cline’s Crazy on my playlist, I wanted the Gnarls Barkley version! Oh well.
- I am hot.
- I am thirsty.
- I should try an energy drink instead of water. Is that why I’m feeling so drained? Could an energy drink help or would it just make me feel sick?
- Why is it so much harder to run longer these days? Is it because I’m almost 43?
- Hi shadow. Who are you today, my friend or foe?
- Running downtown is nice.
- The view from the Stone Arch Bridge is wonderful.
- Am I really going to be able to run a 1/2 marathon in 3 weeks?
- Today is another lesson in humility.
- Oops. I should have put on sunscreen before I went out. I hope I don’t get burned.
- Why is my water bottle leaking? Did I break this one too?
- Uh oh. My calf is hurting a little. I really hope I don’t get a cramp or a knot.
- “Stop a bullet cold, make the axis fold!” [the “Wonder Woman” theme song came on my playlist]
- My legs are sore.
- All this walking I’m doing better mean that I recover from this run faster!
- Done!