Thinkin' about Racin'

Run: 6.8 miles in :49:02 min. @ 6:20 a.m.
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 57°F, 90% Humidity, Wind: From WSW @ 3 mph; feels like 57°F.
Training Plan Suggested Mileage: 2 miles
Average Mile Page: 7:11 min./mi.
Course: Out and about!

A rare cool(ish) morning, though the air was thick with humidity), so I took advantage and went well beyond the prescribed two miles I had planned to run today. This was probably just as well given the July Fourth Weekend is coming up and I may be out of town, and therefore, unable to run as far or as long as I am supposed to this weekend. The feeling begins to return to my extremities, and it now seems to be focused primarily on my left arm, with a complementary tweak in my mid-back. I began the day with a fifteen minute series of yoga poses to warm-up and during the run felt pretty good, except for the occasional ache in my back, which was easy enough to run through.

Looking forward, I have yet to register for a July Fourth road race, and I am not sure if I will. There are three traditional ones (at a variety of distances) to choose from in my community, and I have run in each of them at one time or another. One local 5k is attractive due to the course's fast nature and the potential for a PR. The five mile run is also a possibility, but the main draw for me would be that the course goes right by my kid's home. As they will likely be out of town, it holds little interest. At this point, I don't feel "obligated" to run in any particular race, and may instead opt to spend the morning at home or running along the canal.

The longer I am living a recreational running lifestyle, the less I feel inclined to sign up and pay for every race that comes down the pipeline. I don't really need anymore t-shirts, and my need for camaraderie is met through catching up with friends when we come across one another while running in the neighborhood supermarket or at some of the larger races. I'm of the mind that being part of the running community should not be something you need to pay for or prove by the number of registration forms you fill-out. Granted, there was a time when I was on the "race-a-weekend" plan, and while that may be within the scope of other's needs, it is not where my focus is right now.

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!