Running Update - Tuesday & Thursday

Just a quick update on the running progress (or lack thereof) this week.

Tuesdays and Thursdays are the days that the local running club runs together. Alec ran with them a couple times last summer, but when they switched to 5:30 instead of 6 pm for their runs when daylight savings time ended, he felt like it was too early for him to make it. And let me tell you, it's hard enough to get him in gear to go at 6, so 5:30 would not have happened. Anyway, now that they're back to 6 pm, Alec wanted to start running with them again.

Tuesday was a beautiful day and we met up with the club at the same park where we've been starting from on our own. Alec ran with the club and I ran my 2.5 mile route - they were doing a full 5K and there weren't any slow runners that night so I didn't feel comfortable trying to keep up. And, not knowing the route, I didn't want to get lost back in the neighborhood. I started out pretty well, but then came my nemesis - the wind. It was awful. Luckily, it was a warm wind so I didn't have the ear issues I'd had on Sunday. But, it still made it hard to run. I'd taken a couple brief walk breaks in about the first 2 miles, but I'm pretty sure I walked at least 1/2 mile at the end. We didn't really figure out my pace, but Alec said he didn't think I was too far off.

Yesterday, well, it was an adventure. Just before we were leaving to run, dark clouds covered the sky. I asked Alec if we should even go. He checked the radar on line and said we weren't going to get anything. So, we set out. This run was at the local golf course and there was going to be a cookout & running club meeting afterwards. We were running late, so when we got there, the group had left. We weren't too far behind, so Alec took off at a quick pace to try & catch up. I trotted along at my usual pace.

The official route everyone was running wasn't that clearly marked but I figured the paths would eventually wend their way back to the clubhouse where we were parked. And, I'm sure they would have. But, it started to rain. At first, it was just a few drops and I figured I'd tough it out. However, just as I got to a little cul-de-sac in the cart path and wasn't really sure where to go, the heavens opened up and it started to pour. There was also lightening. Where should you not be during a lightening storm? In the middle of a golf course. Where was I? In the middle of a golf course.

I spotted the clubhouse across the grass and decided my best bet was to just hightail it over there. So I did, arriving drenched under the shelter of the patio, without the slightest idea how far I'd run or what my time was. Oh, well.

Eventually, the rain let up and so we were still able to have the cookout & meeting. The people in the club all seem really nice and hopefully one day I'll be fast enough to run with them!

The 5K is Saturday so we're heading down to the city tonight to spend the night. Hopefully, it will go well. I've decided I will be happy with a 45 minute time, which is a little slower than what I've been doing, but apparently mile 2 is very hilly!