First Run

We're on the cusp of autumn and the dawdling sunrise hints that the end of my bike commuting for this season is at hand. In preparation for the winter and with my ultra running goals for next year in mind I decided to run to work this morning. I threw my aqua sox, a water bottle, my wallet and other personal effects in my Camelback pack. I applied Body Glide to the areas that experience has shown have a high propensity for chafing. (I don't want to relive this again.) For breakfast I ate two chocolate cupcakes whose ingredients include coffee and sour cream. My Aunt Judith brought them over last night when she came to visit. Thank you, Judith. They are delicious. A few swallows of Gatorade to wash them down--not that they needed washing down--and I'm off.

Here's the 9.3 mile route.


View 9.3 mile run to work in a larger map

I decided to wear the pack this time to see how it felt on a long run. It was very comfortable and I hardly noticed it. Next time I'll add the water bladder and increase the weight. When I left the house the sky was just beginning to brighten. It was enough that I didn't need my light so that stayed in the pack. I started out a little slow to give myself some time to warm up in the cool morning. A nine-minute-mile pace seems to be ideal for me. I'm very comfortable, I'm not breathing hard and the distance seems to pass quickly, so much so that I arrived at Garland--the 6.5 mile point--in an hour. Right on pace.

I stopped for a couple minutes to drink to some water, brush off my blackened soles and since they were beginning to feel a little tender, cover them with the aqua sox for the remainder of the trip. I arrived at work 85 minutes after I left the house. Even without subtracting a couple of minutes for traffic lights and my water stop I'm not only happy with my time but more so with how I felt. Overall, the run felt as close to effortless as I can imagine. No joint or muscle soreness and none of that exhausted feeling I used to have in the old days after a long run--the "old days" being just two years ago. I still had plenty of energy the rest of the day.

I just hope the winter cooperates with my plans.