Saturday, March 10, 2007

Don't Know Why They're Kicking It Onsides Here...They Should Probably Just Kick It Down The Field

AM: 1:55 :: 20+M (last mile 5:22)

Its hard to know what to make of this run. I felt completely blah the whole way. In a weird way it is a sign of progress. In the past I would have been getting psyched up to do this workout all week and come into it fresh. Today I just woke up and decided I should do something hard. My initial idea was to run up to Lake Johanna, run the free MDRA 4M race, and then run back. I also considered running up to the UofM and hopping in the 5k and mile at the USATF MN Indoor Champs. But considering Wednesday night, I thought it best to avoid the track today.

So I waited for things to warm up and for the ice to melt as much as possible. I headed out the door feeling pretty tight and unmotivated, but I still managed 5:45 for the first mile and 11:35 through two. I wasn't really pushing, but it wasn't effortless either. I just felt tight and uncomfortable. I used the fact that the wind was in my face on the way out as a motivator since I would have it at my back along the Greenway. I hit Lake Harriet (a little less than 10M) in just under 57 min and the half-marathon point on the Greenway in 1:15. Running along Lake Harriet I got to see what it will be like for the next six months: packed. I try to be polite running around people, but some just have no sense that they are weaving all over the path. And watch what Fido is doing! I almost got clotheslined by leashes a couple of times. It still beats running on the road I guess. I got pretty comfortable the long, straight stretch along the Greenway. I even had my own spectators: a couple of women with a case of Icehouse singing "Good day, sunshine". I turned down their offer to stop and have a beer.

I finished up well enough running into the wind. Again, I didn't feel great, but it wasn't like I was falling apart. I think I've been spoiled in workouts so far this year; everything has felt so easy. But days like today are good too. Toughens the mind.

Now onto my big success: a total shellacking of the Eagles on Madden. 162-20. Now it isn't exactly fair because I'm using the Falcons with Michael Vick, the most insane video football player of all time. I don't even flinch at 4th and 10. I just run the quarterback sweep out of the shotgun and it usually goes for a touchdown. I'm starting to try to evolve him into a pocket passer, but it is so tempting to run boot legs and fire a pass over the linebackers coming up to defend the run. I hesitant to start a full season because once I start I usually spend a whole weekend playing it through to the Super Bowl. Katie doesn't seem to like that. Go figure. So I'm just content to play a game here and there trying to rack up the biggest stats. It is so fun kicking onsides everytime. I do think in the next version of the game they have to have an option to smack John Madden in the chops. Boom! On second thought, I think I need to take a break from the game.

LINK
John Hodgeman on HGH
The Wheel can be tricky

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Yeah, where do all those people come from when the sun comes out?

One species of 'idiot on the path' I have seen enough of this weekend are the folks who wait 'til the last moment to decide they're going to walk round the puddle, and then wonder why you have to run through it splashing them.

good luck for Human Race.