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One of Those Days... (Read 817 times)

    Can you relate to this? Terrible day at work (too long to explain). No problem - can't wait to get home to get in my 5 miler. I get home later than usual, and it's already post-dusk, heading to dark. OK - scratch the 5 miler - I don't feel like picking my way along uneven pavement in the dark and I need to get some track work in, so I'll go to my local HS track and do 8x400 intervals, followed by running 10 sets of stadium steps. Did I mention that the weather was turning a bit ugly?? I get to the track, slow jog for 5 minutes, a little stretching, then off I go. Into my second 400, lightning starts (I am in a bowl stadium, surrounded by metal.) No problem, I can continue. As I finish my fourth, the loudest clap of thunder hits overhead ("It's just the angels bowling"my a**) accompanied by multiple-bolt lightning and sends me veering off to my car. On the way home, things subside. No problem, I say again. When I get home, I have a nice 200 yard hill of a street behind my house - I'll just salvage something by running 10 hill repeats and call it a night. I park the car, drop off my keys, head down my back yard hill to the street, walk down to the bottom of the hill... Did I mention that the wind was picking up?? As I finish a quick hamstring stretch and look up to prepare myself for my onslaught of the hill, the skies open up (no, I don't mean a nice mist that feels so good and rejuvenates - this was a "don't look up 'cause you'll drown" kind of thing). I'm now sitting at my computer with a cold Sam Adams Octoberfest beer as I type this... hey, I had to salvage something from my day! Roll eyes Thanks for listening. Jeff

    "You can't have everything. Where would you put it?" - Steven Wright


    #2867

      Wow, and I thought that my run was bad because none of my teammates showed up... Way to keep trying to salvage. I recommend a head lamp; it's a great way to get those night time runs in.

      Run to Win
      25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)


      Now that was a bath...

        Wow - that definitely was 'One of those days'! I hope that the beer more than made up for it. Wink Always tomorrow eh? Claire xxx
      • jlynnbob "HTFU, Kookie's distal tibia"
      • Where's my closet? I need to get back in it.
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        rectumdamnnearkilledem

          Beer has such a great way of making things "all better." Smile k

          Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

          remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

               ~ Sarah Kay

            Beer has such a great way of making things "all better." Smile k
            couldnt be more true Big grin
              MMMMM BEER!

              My sport's your sport's punishment

               

              2012 goals

                            

              100 Km month         150 K month      200K month

              5K run    10K run     20K run              30K run

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                I recommend a head lamp; it's a great way to get those night time runs in.
                Not to hijack thread, but 2 questions: 1) Do people look at you like you are crazy when you are wearing this? 2) Do you have a particular one you would recommend?
                Ed4


                Barefoot and happy

                  1) Do people look at you like you are crazy when you are wearing this?
                  I use a headlamp quite often. Many runners & cyclists around here wear some kind of lights at night. Some people probably think it's weird. But they're the same people who think running is weird. Do you really care what they think?
                  2) Do you have a particular one you would recommend?
                  Go with an LED headlamp. They are small and light and the batteries last a very long time. Go to any outdoor equipment store and they will have a selection of different ones to choose from. Mine has a strap over the top of the head in addition to the head band, and the batteries are in the back. This balances it rather nicely.
                  Curious about running barefoot? Visit the new barefoot running group.


                  #2867

                    Not to hijack thread, but 2 questions: 1) Do people look at you like you are crazy when you are wearing this? 2) Do you have a particular one you would recommend?
                    (1) I don't care if people look at me like I'm crazy as long as they don't run me over with their car. I've been hit before, and if wearing a head lamp keeps it from happening again then I'm happy. Plus, now that I'm running trails at night on occasion, I don't necessarily have the benefit of street lights or the moon to light my path. (2) I don't have a particular one to recommend; I'm using a cheapo one that I bought at Home Depot when I reinsulated my attic. It works okay on the roads and is great for getting under the kitchen sink or cooking on the grill, but I think I'm going to have to upgrade a little for the trail running.

                    Run to Win
                    25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

                    derek


                      Way to keep trying to salvage. I recommend a head lamp; it's a great way to get those night time runs in.
                      I'm curious....I run in the mornings when it's still dark, but I run where there are street lights. Is the head lamp used to light the area so you can see where you are running, or is it to make you more visible to motorists (or both). If there are no street lights, I'm wondering how effective the head lamp would be in lighting up the sidewalk road road. E.g. I don't tend to run with my head down so I can't see it lighting where I run.

                      Derek

                        A headlight is AWESOME to use when you have no light. It's actually really cool (at least to me) It gives me tunnel vision and makes me feel like I'm running with a scuba mask on (so I'm a freak lol) This is like the one I use http://www.greatoutdoorsdepot.com/yukon.html MTA you don't have to run with your head down since the light is on your forehead Big grin

                        Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

                          It gives me tunnel vision and makes me feel like I'm running with a scuba mask on (so I'm a freak lol)
                          No. I don't think you're a freak. At least not for this anyway. Wink People sometimes wear lights on their waist to avoid the tunnel vision. It's something to do with not enough shadows for your depth perception to work properly when the light is close to your eyes. Anyway. Here's a link to some information that is probably WAY more than most people want - but there you go. Lot's of info on the types and brand choices.

                          When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?

                          seeEricaRun


                          Awesome

                            \ If there are no street lights, I'm wondering how effective the head lamp would be in lighting up the sidewalk road road. E.g. I don't tend to run with my head down so I can't see it lighting where I run.
                            The head lamp tilts to light as far ahead as you need, so you don't have to run with your head down. I'd recommend a relatively high-powered lamp with a red light. Since the red light doesn't force your eyes to adjust to the light instead of the dark, I find that I don't lose my peripheral vision (no tunnel vision effect). I prefer to use a headlamp so that other people can see me. I like relying on my shoddy night vision - it adds to the challenge.
                              but what fun is it when you don't have the tunnel vision? Tongue

                              Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson