I don’t even know what to say about this morning’s run. I guess it was uneventful. It wasn’t difficult or unpleasant or painful or torturous and parts of it were even fun and enjoyable. I have gotten to the point in my training that 5 miles simply isn’t anything. It’s a ‘short’ run to me. And, with permission to go as slow as 5 mph, I don’t even have to exert myself to keep up that sort of pace. I believe my actual pace today was more like 5.5 mph.
I guess I did have a few notable moments during my run. I must be running at nearly the same time each morning because I passed a woman on her way to the bus stop that I had passed yesterday, too, and an older man who just seems to be out walking, and I also crossed paths with a Tempe school bus at exactly the same intersection today as I did yesterday. I specifically remember the driver, an incredibly jovial matronly woman. So, that was weird, to be running into the same people in motion a couple of days in a row.
I also waved at commuters on the freeway as I jogged the College Street pedestrian bridge. I got another honk today, so I’m on a roll. Come to think of it, could it be the same person that honked yesterday? As long as I’m busy running into the same people at the same time, what if it was the same driver? That would be really weird. I wonder what that driver would be thinking. He or she must wonder what kind of nutcase I am to be waving at people every day.
I am quite scared and quite excited about a run I’m signed up for on Saturday. I realize that I have finally gotten to the point at which I can keep up 7 mph for at least 5k, on a treadmill. That actually is a decent-enough time to potentially place in my age category at a small, local 5k. Too bad there isn’t one coming up! However, I did sign up for the 4-mile Cave Creek Luminaria run and I’m going to see if I can hold at least 7 mph for the duration of 4 miles. If I can, I’ve got real potential to place 2nd or 3rd in my age class, if the results this year are similar to last year’s. That would be so, so, so cool. That is actually an ongoing goal of mine, now, to place in my age category and get a ‘real’ medal, instead of just the ‘finishers’ medals that you get for completing a half-marathon or a marathon. Not that those aren’t special, because they most certainly are, but my husband (and others) tease me about them being like the Special Olympics where everyone who participates gets a medal. I know their take on it does not match mine, but I would sorta like to shut them up by getting something they’d consider a ‘real’ medal. Now, of course, as soon as I place in my age category, they’ll tell me that ‘age category’ medals aren’t ‘real,’ either, and that the only ones that count are the absolute 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place for the whole race. Well, that is most certainly out of my reach, so if they say that, I’ll just have to hit them upside the head with whatever medal I happen to have just earned and ask them to show me THEIR medals. Hmm. I have a bit of aggression, there. I better take care of that. Perhaps I better go on a run!