Another Half

I signed up for a half marathon yesterday.

I’m paying $40 to run loops in Central Park, which makes perfect sense. I’m supposed to run 10 miles that day anyway and I’d like to race more so figured why not. I’d also like to see if I’m any faster. I probably won’t break 2 hours, but who knows? Crazier things have happened. Herman Cain, for example.

Yesterday I ran at the gym again. It really wasn’t that bad. I hate the treadmill, but it does have its uses. As long as I don’t have to be on it for more than 3 or 4 miles, I can deal with it. The main thing I like about it is being able to exactly control my speed. I was supposed to do 3 easy miles yesterday, but I’m trying to up my speed a bit and to do that, I can’t just do what feels easy to me. I need to be a bit uncomfortable, and if I do it enough, it will become comfortable. I just need to remind myself of that when I feel like stopping and launching myself off the back of the treadmill. Which, actually, would make for a pretty amusing video.

Anyway, I did 3 miles in my work’s gym during my lunch hour. 9:30 pace. Nothing notable happened, really, except that I was running next to a HWAB (hottie w/a body), and for about a mile we ran perfectly in sync. I’m pretty sure we’re dating now. But really, I don’t get how that happened. Remember when you were a kid and swinging in sync with a boy meant you were going to get married or something? Well, I reverted back to my 7-year-old self and tried to out-of-syncasize (that’s a phrase) myself. It didn’t work though. That’s how you know it’s true love. It was hot as hell in the gym, so I was a disgusting mess afterward. Fortunately for everyone everywhere, there are showers in the locker room.

The snow gods decided to spite me by sending a snowstorm through the Northeast and forgetting to stop in New York. Instead we got disgusting rain. It was a joy walking across the Central Park transverse and getting hit with a tidal wave each time a car passed.

A nice something that happened, though, was another HWAB offering me his umbrella. I don’t believe in umbrellas (too much of a hassle, always crashing into people’s heads, plus they blow inside-out all the time. Just get a raincoat, people), but I appreciated it nonetheless. I was listening to hot jams and felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around all ready to assume my best karate pose, but the guy was actually just trying to me a favor. I almost accepted, actually, but then I got all crazy and was wondering what exactly he was offering. Was I supposed to share it with him and exchange pleasantries until he got to the subway and I continued on? Did he want me to take it? Was he trying to rob me? I am always very suspicious of people’s motives, but sometimes people just want to be nice. Thanks, HWAB.

I have a 30-minute tempo run on the schedule for today, which I think I’ll have to do after work. There’s a university-wide holiday party starting at 3:00, though, so I’ll have to convince myself not to gorge on food and drink before running. It’s not really a fair battle, but I’ll do my best.