Slow and Easy

While Saturday’s easy run had gone fairly well I was still nervous about my long run.  How were my legs going to handle it?   I knew the planned progression wasn’t going to happen but I was hoping to run long-ish and easy.

An old friend was coming to town for the weekend and we had been messaging about running together.  We have tried this before but never made it work.    We always seem to miss each other.  She ran SLO the year before I did, I ran City to the Sea the year before she did.   We did run into each other at my first Super Fun Run but she was running the 10k and I was running the 5K.   She’s running Wine Country next weekend and was aiming for 8-11 miles.   I said I would be slow but hang on if that was ok with her.  coldrunSeriously, there’s a reason I don’t run in the mornings.  It’s freakin’ cold!!   Yes, I realize that high 30’s, low 40’s is a heat wave to everyone outside of California.  Again let me state that I am a big baby in the cold!  For a variety of reasons we both had rough nights and there were more messages going back and forth on Sunday morning.   🙂  But we stuck it out and met up to run.   I planned the route and figured that my habit of running in circles up hills probably wouldn’t be the best idea.  So I mapped out a very lopsided figure 8 that led us across town and back for a little over 8 miles.  If we were feeling good I had ways to add on miles.    IMG_9458I was stiff and had to take numerous walking breaks.  My stomach has also been an asshat since Saturday night so that slowed me down as well.  I felt so bad for slowing her down.    Other than those 2 things I felt pretty good though which was cool considering how much I had not wanted to get out of bed.   If I am thinking optimistically then it’s not all my fault that we were slower than hoped for.  I live in a small town, proven by the fact that an 8 mile route can take me across town and back.  However, within that route we had 8 traffic light stops.  8.    That said, I wouldn’t mind running that route again.

We finished our run and chatted for a bit before heading our separate ways.   It was nice running with someone.  I so very rarely do that.  It does a little more energy to talk and run at the sametime- it should count as crosstraining- ha!   Maybe we can try that the next time she is in town.   Also, I would not have run in the morning had I not been meeting her.  I am so not a morning person.  I don’t think I ever will be.  Races are my extent of early mornings.

Running before made this seem a little less indulgent.
Running before made this seem a little less indulgent.

I am still on the fence about Wine Country.  I actually felt ok after Sunday’s run.   I stretched really well and rolled a little.    It’s probably just me using it wrong but my roller has not been helping.    I have a feeling I am going to put off the decision-making as long as possible.  On a random note- my Garmin shows 2 different average paces for the same run?!

What is your favorite time to run?

How many traffic lights do you usually have to deal with?

Can you run and hold a conversation at the same time?

23 thoughts on “Slow and Easy”

  2. I actually sort of like traffic lights. It gives you a chance to rest for a brief moment. I have never actually counted the number, but 8 in 8 miles seems like quite a lot!

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  3. Glad you were able to get in your long run! I am typically not an early morning runner because I hate waking up early, but running early can be nice because there’s less traffic and pedestrians. After work is my favorite time to run, especially in the summer, because I can go out along the lakefront bike path and it’s really pretty.

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    1. After work is my typical time for very similar reasons. I sleep poorly during the week so I love sleeping in on the weekends. Less traffic was nice but I usually run a lot of back roads so there’s not a lot of cars just crazy drivers.

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  4. I’m with you – early morning runs are for summer marathon training and racing only. I usually run at the end of the day. Nice job finishing your long run!

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  5. I hate mornings, but love cold runs. I’m a New Yorker relocated to CA and would rather run in 40 degrees than 70 degrees. Running with a partner is a great way to mix things up – but you both have to be okay with the fact that that someimtes you have to compromise on the pace – just goes with the territory.

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  6. You know all about my failed struggles to run in the morning during winter. Nope. I mean, it doesn’t work most times of the year, but it is much easier in the summer so I’m waiting until then to try it again.

    I do almost all of my running on roads (sidewalks) in the winter, because the trails are all snowy and not always kept up with, plus since it’s dark so often I feel safer running where lots of people are around. Anyway this means traffic lights are pretty frequent. Like a commenter above said, I actually appreciate the moment to stop and rest. Unless it’s a really long run, I pause my Garmin at the stop lights. Maybe this is “cheating”, but the stop time will mess up my average pace and I won’t get a good sense of how fast I was actually running.

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    1. My Garmin has an auto pause feature but I have it turned off. There were 2 lights where it would have helped the pace had I paused it but I didn’t think of it. I did use a few of the stops to stretch out. I think that probably helped my legs throughout the run. As much as I liked having the run done for the day, it’s not going to become a thing. Unless I can find a consistent running partner.

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  8. I’m a little torn about when I prefer to run. Sometimes I like running early so I can get it over and done with, but I reeeeally struggle with getting up early enough to do that. I generally run in the evenings after work, but am a bit limited in the winter when it’s dark. I don’t know… it’s a toss up! I can hold a conversation when I run only if I’m running super slow, otherwise I can’t breathe! 🙂 Oh, and I love that green top you’re wearing in the picture!

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    1. Yeah, winter makes evening running hard but the time change is almost here! I wasn’t sure what was effecting my breathing more- the talking or the moisture in the air. The top is the Nike Hyperwarm line. I bought it a few years ago but rarely wear it. It follows through on its’ promise- I usually overheat when I wear it. Since the temp was in the 30’s I figured it would be ok this time around. 🙂

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  9. I typically like running before the sun rises or as its coming up. And I can run and hold a conversation when I’m easy running lol 🙂

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  10. I like to run first thing in the morning – get it out of the way. And as a bonus there’s not much traffic so a red light is just a suggestion for us runners…..Glad that you’re feeling better. I have a race in two weeks and will probably decide the day before if I’m going to run it or not.

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    1. I have some races where we have run into red lights and had to stop. I should probably run through town more often just to get used to it. I am still on the fence about my race this weekend but I am leaning towards running it and using it as a long run- not racing it. But like your race, it will be a last minute decision.

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  11. Ha! Races are the extent of my morning running as well. I’ve tried SO MANY times to become a morning runner and it just doesn’t happen. Time to move on. And honestly, sometimes I love stop lights!

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  12. Pingback: Wine Country Half- Recap | Slacker Runner

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