Day 155: Almost DOES Count

Usain Bolt is faster than me. 
Day 155 was a Thursday and a running day. It was also one of these unseasonably, beautifully warm days that have generously followed Snowmageddon 2011, making me want to run outside. We have a great little park nearby (Chastain) that's ~3 miles around and perfect for practicing a 10K. A mostly manageable course with  couple of hard hills, lots of interesting scenery, tons of other runners, etc.

Running on the treadmill in sporadic bursts for 4 miles does NOT mean that I can run all three miles around this park, however. As I discussed with Katie from Running Down a Dream, a 5 mile treadmill run is about equivalent to a 3 mile real run. I haven't gotten up to five miles on the treadmill, but I was REALLY wanting to add "Ran all the way around Chastain Park" to my New Things for the day.

Sadly, it just wasn't meant to be.

I got a mile around no problem, and then up the first half of "The Winding Hill" like a champ, and then got halfway up the second half before thinking I would verifiably stop breathing, keel over, die, and never wake up. So I stopped--and I failed.

I walked maybe another tenth of a mile before starting to run again, down this .8 mile straightaway which I was actually excited about. The last time I ran around Chastain, I had this straightaway like a charm. I was really tired and I pushed really hard to get to the stop sign at the end of the path, but I did it with gusto and was proud of myself.

This time around, my internal dialogue was like "Yeah, I got this. Piece of cake road. This is all down hill from here. Look at me! Woo!"

New day, new run.

I ran all the way, but I was starting to get really, really tired towards the end, but I was pushing through. "Maybe I didn't realize how tired I was getting last time...Gee wilikers this is hard...just keep running kid, you did this before!"

I got to the stop sign, slowed down, and without warning, I started gagging uncontrollably.

WHO AM I??? AM I THAT OUT OF SHAPE?

I felt like one of those kids on MTV's "I Used to Be Fat" who invariably pukes their guts out on their first workout!

So I didn't make it all the way around Chastain Park, although I did make it farther than I had before. Almost doesn't count after all.

2 comments:

  1. OMG I just died laughing at you saying how you felt like a kid on "I Used to Be Fat." I have TOTALLY thought that on multiple occasions last week. So glad someone fit like you can feel the same way.

    Good for you running some hills! It isn't easy for sure, but it's good to go outside of your comfort zone sometimes. Progress is progress. Before you know it you will be running laps around that park!

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  2. Glad a more experienced runner feels that way too :)

    Thanks for cheering me on from NY!!

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