Prior to my first so-called Bryant group run this morning, I thought how funny it would be if I ended up running all by myself, just in the distant company of other runners (presuming I could at least see them in the distance). I thought that would be ironic for a loner like me. Well...
There were 21 of us there this morning (probably 18 gals and 3 guys). I tried to record a bit of the pre-run excitement on my new iriver. It was my first time to bring it on a run!
Immediately upon starting, I got a rock in my shoe. $%#@!!! So that put me a bit behind the pack. Almost immediately a group of about a dozen were way ahead, then 2 walkers ahead of me, and a string of people behind me. No big deal. I passed the walkers fairly quickly and thought the big group was within reach. Oh was I wrong...
I immediately got the message that the streets in Bryant were not always marked. I got yelled at from behind to make a turn once, thankfully. Since there was no street sign, I assumed our turn must be the next marked street up -- not so.
One particular turn never materialized... and the next thing I knew, I was all the way out in Bauxite! I rolled my eyes, as I had been running alone for a while. "Great," I thought, "all by myself - how ironic." I decided to forego the course and just do an out-and-back. The group was running 8 (and some 14 and some 4) but I aimed to do 10, per my new training plan.
The first 5 miles weren't so bad: 11:29, 13:29 (um...), 12:55, 12:07, 12:24. My average pace was at the high end of my range, but that was OK.
At mile 6 I realized that I had LOST the iriver! Oh. My. God. I was so mad/frustrated/sad/you-name-it. So I really had no choice but to retrace my steps (on the wrong side of the road, mind you). Fortunately it few just a few hundred yards away. That's when it hit me: I'm running alone, I'm lost, I'm incredibly slow, and I've dinged up my new favorite toy.
I could not manage to follow the same course back (again, the lost thing...) so at about mile 7 I called to vent to Chasen. He groaned when I told him that I had lost the iriver! But he was relieved that I found it. How does everyone carry their recording devices?
I begrudgingly did those miles. I was SPENT. I contemplated just walking back to my car... but I figured I had to get there regardless, so I tried to run as much as I could. The second five sadly went like this: 13:29, 13:12, 14:22, 14:12, 14:53. My overall average pace was 13:16 -- blech.
So much for group running! Will I give up after one try? NO. Especially since this group is running with the HUGE Little Rock group next weekend at the River Trail. Surely I won't get "lost" with over a hundred people on a contained course.
My future podcast should be called "Off I Go," because I seemed to say that each time I did a recording today. Ha ha ha! It's not super clever, but seemingly very accurate and applicable: me, trying to do something no matter what it takes.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
Oh my gosh, you are a trooper!! I would have thought that with a group run they would have had someone familiar with the route stay in the back to make sure that everybody was going the right way and ok. At least that's the way we do it on our Sat. fun rides, esp. if there's someone new that day. I bet next week will be better.
I'm sorry to hear it wasn't the experience you had hoped for. I was certain that someone was bound to have the same pace.
It turned into quite an adventure for you.
I'm glad you were able to recover your lost iRiver.
Next week will be better for sure!
Hi, interesting blog. We invite you to be one of the first to list it on our new blog directory at bigblogcollection.blogspot.com
List your blog here
Sometimes long/group runs go that way. I remember doing a 9-mile group run a couple years ago that I drove 30 miles to (I thought it was a race, actually) and I got between the fast and slow groups and missed the turn in the unfamilar farmlands. 14 miles later I showed up where my car was from the opposite way and the two or three holdovers from the group were getting ready to fan out to locate me. It's always an adventure, since that run was through the Monocacy battlefield (Jubal Early's raid on DC in 1864) I just pretended I was a marauding Rebel as I blundered lost around country lanes.
Well, you could have been home sticking sharp sticks in your eyes...
You came out a winner and not a whiner. Good job. I think that you were able to go the 10 miles with such little running the past 6 weeks, and with everything ELSE happening, I think that is a great SUCCESS. Okay, so it doesn't win any style points, but those don't count in the end.
If you are going to play "Let's Hide the iRiver" you might want to create an audio file that stays onthe iRiver that says "Hi, this is Susan, I am a marathon runner, you have found my iRiver, please call me at {BLANK}... you get the idea"
Also, on my iriver, I have put a screen protector to avoid scratching, just incase I want to eBay my iriver when I upgrade...
You did good fellow runner!
Nice job pushing through the ten miles despite the challenges! I hate getting lost.
Forgive my ignorance - but are you posting the Iriver recordings online or are you just using it for a personal record?
I can't wait to start listening to your podcasts!
way to hang in there! hey, at least you weren't LAST when you got lost! that's different. I've been LAST LAST, and it's not so fun. Though usually where I run there are a few landmarks, like say, the LINCOLN memorial or the Washington Monument. Kind of hard to miss those things (although I've managed!) If I were you, i would have hailed a cab. if i'd had any money. which i wouldn't have had, cuz i'm clever like that.
GREAT JOB!
Thanks for pointing me to your archive, Susan - first time, I missed the Jan.12th date to find the post. That said, it's interesting as I just realized Blogger blogs don't have a search widget. Time for me to look for one :-) - don't need one yet, as I only have around 5 posts right now!
Glad u found your iRiver too. That would have been a bummer. I actually have this little gu bag that clips to my water belt, and I stick my ipod in that. I never liked the idea of putting something on my arm, except now I have to cram my gue and iPod in this. I need another little gu bag!
Post a Comment