On Saturday, Valentine's day, the rain of the previous day had lifted. Roses were blooming. Love was in the air. I had just found out the week prior at work I would be going out to Omaha for almost a month. I am a Cali girl and have never really done the cold weather thing- so I knew I needed to go and get a coat and there were various other errands that were scheduled for the day.
However, I knew that my long run for the week was 6 miles, and that the rain was expected to come back on Sunday- so there was no time like the present. I asked my husband as he was watching his favorite Sat. morning TV show (Flip this House on A&E) and he said he would join me! How romantic!
I had plotted out a path that would take me 6 miles or so and after getting my iPod in the arm band, my shoes on, the bra on, the Camelbak backpack on (this was quite an ordeal getting all suited up for this walk/jog mind you. I am trying to make sure we have all the resources we need and I look like a robot of some kind with the tubes from the back pack and the cords my my iPod and the leggings and everything else.)
We got out the door and headed across Huntington drive first. Then turned left at South Huntington and began to jog through the first song on my playlist. We slowed down for the next song and continued to walk up hill to Herriman/ Collis street and crossed Huntington and went to the left up Herriman. We were talking and walking, singing each other the songs on our respective players.
The we took a street to the left and crossed back down to Collis. I checked the iPod. We were a little more than 2 miles at this point. I had a feeling like- UGH that's all? Why isn't it more yet? Then my husband says- He let's jog to that shadow over there. And I said, ugh- why? and he said "come on- it won't be bad" Just then another jogging song came on and so we were off- only I felt my body saying- "why are you doing this.. I don't wanna!!"
Now- it wasn't saying- STOP I'm HURT- it was saying I DON'T WANNA. I am learning the difference between pain (which I was also in- but like before, I asked the foot pain and the shin splints and the knee grinding to just come run with me) and my natural laziness. I worked through the laziness and dug in and ran past him.
Then we slowed down together for a few more songs. 3 miles. We are now turning to the left down Ave 60 and starting to go down hill. I realize we are half way there and I am not sure we have 3 more miles left in the path- plus my husband is starting to need to go to the bathroom- but he is valiantly holding it. (NOTE TO SELF- do not drink coffee prior to runs or you might find yourself in a tough place out on the road with no way to get home but walk/ jog)
We turned left onto Monterrey and started up that big hill that's carved out of the mountain that I referenced in last weekend's 5 mile walk/ jog. We jogged through another song and I noticed that he's pretty good at keeping pace. He actually seems kind of a natural at this whole jogging thing... damn it! Actually its a blessing- cuz it means I have a companion.
I have to stop a couple times on the way up the hill to adjust my knee braces and stretch out my legs- but aside from that we're doing good. I run to catch up with him after my adjustments. When he looks at me I say- "No- don't run, I am just catching up!" and I am close to out of breath- this is definitely work.
Then I say something stupid, "Do you want to take the side road up the hill?" He says "Sure!" as we start walking it- I realize its the steepest part of the mountain by FAR! What was I thinking? As I pant my way up, "OMG, OMG OMG- I can I will I am able, OMG OMG OMG- make it stop!" we finally reach the peak and then its downhill from there. As we swerve our way down Monterrey, we notice we're a little shy on the mileage so we walk behind Our Lady of Guadalupe Church/ School and over to the Rose Hill project housing. I lead him over to the base of the park we walk when its actually dry out- this walk has been pretty muddy.
Another hill. WTF with our neighborhood?
We make it up and around and manage to take Sardonyx Ave to Topaz to Pyrites to Esmerelda and back to the house. As we walk past the church next to our house I check the iPod again. 6.23 miles. OMG! We did a 10K! I am so excited! Its been 1hr 45min. Not too bad for the first 10K I ever did!
I had been a little jealous that my friend Hirono had done a formal 10K the weekend before (though I wouldn't have been ready) around Dodger Stadium. She said she did it in 1hr 12 mins! Now that is impressive. I keep telling her she likes running- but she denies it all the way...
We get home and proceed to run errands and we both get headaches. This is our first major lesson in race nutrition. We burnt over 1000 calories that walk/ jog. We needed to eat a little better before and after- and our bodies made us suffer a bit for it. We prepared some pasta and veggies and took a nap. Happy Valentine's Day!
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