Get it? Like “Oh, the humanity!” I thought of it while I was at work today, thinking I did NOT want to run, and I felt sure I had used the title before. However, a quick check of my posts tells me I did not, so here is a Tuesday Running Commentary, and yes, it is also Tired Tuesday. You see, that I can so multi-task.
As I left work, I felt greeted by the wind. This was much better than in the building! Unfortunately, I soon realized that it was not the miracle I was hoping for. It was hot, it was muggy, I wanted to go someplace air conditioned and cry. Of course I did nothing of the kind. I went home and put on running clothes. Changing was not fun, but I will spare you the blow by blow (see? I don’t always overshare).
I told Steven I did not know how far I would run. You never know: sometimes you catch a second wind as you go. Also, if it began to rain, that might feel really good and I would be happy to keep running. Conversely, it there was thunder, I would sensibly run right back home. At least I would get a few steps in.
Right away my body was not happy with me. My legs hurt. My lungs did not want to breath. I was sweating already. Well, runs often begin badly and end well. Second wind, remember? Then I thought, here’s a point to ponder: does it count as a second wind if you didn’t have a first wind? Shouldn’t I start out feeling good, get tired, THEN get a second wind? I never do anything right.
I did it really wrong this time, because I never felt good, never hit the “I can rock this” stage, and my legs complained pretty much the whole way. I debated to myself how far I would run. At least 20 minutes. Of course 30 would be better. I could turn here. Or wait till the next street. Or go all the way to the high school! I was drenched with sweat and sweating sunscreen into my eyes. Ouch! No matter. A cold shower awaited. And my recovery beverage of chocolate milk. One must earn a recovery beverage, I reminded myself.
I did have one encouraging moment: I was headed down Park Avenue (ooh!), towards the footbridge over the brook behind the high school. A man and two women with a couple of baby carriages were headed that way by a parallel street, arriving at the bridge about the same time I did. The man noticed me.
“She’s coming straight through,” he said to the women. They stopped.
“Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t see you!” one said.
“You’re fine,” I said. “Thank you.”
“Keep going!” the man said.
“I’ll try!”
“Good job!” I heard one of the women call as I ran over the bridge.
Well, one must keep going when one has received encouragement. So keep running I did. I made it for 23 minutes. I felt dreadfully tired during my cool-down walk and even considered cutting that part short. Then I thought, no, I have calories to burn. As always, I felt happy that I had run. I was sorry it was such a short run, but you can’t get bogged down in these details. I ran. That was the important thing. Maybe I will run again tomorrow.