Today's run was short and easy. Well, tough for an early season neophite such as myself, but easy compared to when I'm in better condition. I like to think of this as my pre-season training. Pre-season training will end when I feel that I'm not a complete train wreck when it comes to running. When I can hold a pace of at least 6.30 for a 12k.
Despite it being 6am on backstreets (or maybe because it was 6am on backstreets) the roads were paved with good intentions...lots of runners & walkers out for some morning exercise before either work or heat drove them inside.
At the best I'm slow. Times like now a sloth could beat me on the uphills and look less gutted by it than I do.
'Run for yourself' is wishful thinking on the road. Any other person on foot is competition, be they 90 years old, dog walkers, or elite sprinters. If someone is behind me I push myself just that little bit faster. If someone is in front, I aim to close the gap. If someone is going the other way...well, I just give a tip of the imaginary hat and say good morning or - if I'm super winded such as running uphill - I give a grimace that could pass either as a smile or as an acknowledgement of mutual pain my fellow exerciser and I are enduring.
I was coming to the end of my pitifully short run when I saw a woman in front of me with legs I could only envy. She was doing a walk/run with her dog. Because of this I soon passed her on a downhill. I gave her a friendly nod, a thumbs up, and said 'great work!' as I ran past (with an inwardly satisfied feeling, not least of which because I was on the last km and it was all downhill from there).
Did she smile in acknowledgement? Exchange congratulations? Give me the smile/grimace? No. She picked up her pace so she could yell excuses after me. "I'd be faster but I'm just finishing up a 12k! I'm doing well for being three times your age!" (She looked to be mid 50s). More excuses were yelled out, but they were lost amongst the sound of my music.
Yes, it's true. Whether in a race or on a road, friendly competition & runner envy is always at hand. No runner likes to be passed by a faster runner without going through a mental checklist of why their run quality is superior in some way/shape/form to that other runner - be it distance, age, or good old 'pre-season training'. I haven't been passed by anyone yet, but that is through sheer dumb luck rather than impressive speed.
Total distance: 6.00km (6.01km, but that's a silly number)
Time: 39.55
Elevation: 89m
Avg pace: 6.39
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