Running With Jack

Yesterday was my first day back to work after a week off, so I was ready to run off some stress by the time I headed home. It was a nice sunny day with mild 20C/68F temperature so I elected to wear a T-shirt and thin running pants. I cautiously preceded with a gentle recovery pace, but had trouble keeping the tempo down. I felt so light after running with the bulky sweatpants and shirt for so long. I also lost a kg over the weekend, bringing my weight down to 77kg (170lbs). My next goal is to bring my weight down to 74kg (163lbs) by May 7 (Baden Mile Race). This will be my lowest weight since I was in the Army. I actually obtained this weight for a couple weeks right before my half-marathon last September, but I guess I celebrated too much afterward. I was up to 80kg (176lbs) right after Christmas vacation. I’ve been stuck on 78kg for 3 months. My doctor recommended a weight of 70kg (155lbs) for my height (170cm/67') and build. I think I was 10 years old when I weighed that last (I was 110kg/243lbs at age 13).

So getting back to the run, there was a gentle breeze, but warm, springtime is definitely here in our area, the fruit trees are budding, spring flowers are out, the wildlife is active. I was almost run over my a red squirrel as I headed into the woods. I noticed his/her cheeks were full of nuts or whatever. I saw a fox dart down a side trail as I trampled through. On my long run last Saturday I surprised a nice buck, no actually he surprised me, he jumped out from behind a bunch of bushes and past a few meters behind me. I just about jumped out of my pants because I was daydreaming or whatever (probably of my next meal or race:). Quite a few joggers were out, good weather tends to bring out the otherwise cough potatoes. I turned down one trail, cornered by a bunch of evergreens and ran smack into four very large dogs (not on a line of course:(, with the two women-probably-owners well ahead of them and gabbing. Now ever since I was bitten by a dog as a kid I am scared to death of dogs. Sad, but true. I think I about wet my pants, but luckily the dogs were well trained and a single command from one of the women had them running in their direction. They held them while I ran by, I made a point to thank them for my life. Last year a Doberman bit through my jogging pants before it’s owner could bring it under control (he was on a bicycle and the dog on not on a line), I made it a point to thank him in a very special way (Mia would be proud of my vocabulary?, one of the few times I let that slip out). I envy people who have no fear of the animals. Give me a cow any day, even a bull!

As I came out the wood and headed out across the fields that will bring me home I passed the model airplane field, there were a couple enthusiasts out their playing with their airplanes. I think it is a club that leases the corner of the field for this purpose. I have a guy at work the devotes most of his waking hours when he’s not at work to this hobby. He an electrical engineer, builds his own stuff (of course). I see him surfing at lunchtime once in awhile. I’ll have to ask him if he’s blogging yet?

I finished the 14K/8.6mile run in 77:55, which is a pace of 5:34/km (8:57/mile), much faster then I should be training, especially after just completing a rather long long run on Saturday. Today I feel all the stress I have been giving my legs lately no real pain or anything, just tired legs. Tonight I am taking my wife to bicycle shopping, a local sports store is having a sale on last years model of mountain bikes. So I can rest the legs a bit. I don’t have any races planned this month, the next being the Baden Mile (8.88889km/5.5 mile) run on May 7th. On the other side I know of at least 7 10K runs in my area in April, hmmm... should I