Rainy Run
Today was slated to be a 20-miler for the marathon training group. I paced some half marathoners and one intrepid full marathoner. I say intrepid because anyone who came out today was intrepid. Overnight the forecast went from a 25 percent chance of rain to the reality of a steady downpour. I only made it 14.25 miles (only), but at the relatively slow pace of my gutsy group that meant being out there for more than three hours.
My hip let me know it's still an issue, but I was able to persevere. I know I am not alone in my aches and pains. At this point in training for a long race, runners with no pain are probably not running enough! Every single person who came out in the rain today is my hero.
In some odd way, for me (and possible for others?) it was even fun. Yes, cold, yes, wet. Bring it on--I'm alive!
We ran on the SF Bay Trail, from Emeryville to Berkeley to Albany to El Cerrito and back. There's only one real hill on the course, so here's the view from its modest summit--which is reached by chugging up the road to the Golden Gate Fields parking lot. The buildings to the left are part of the racetrack complex. The taller buildings, on the far horizon and off to the right, comprise the Emeryville skyline. Our start/finish point is out of the frame, wa-a-ay to the right, past all the buildings, at the Emeryville marina.
And here's the home stretch, about 0.5 mi from the finish. I'm a sucker for photos of paths, if you haven't noticed. Part of my runner self responds strongly to the adventure promised by a curving trail. Even when I already know what I'll find around the bend, I still get excited at the notion of the motion that will take me to whatever that is.
Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and dry, of course. I'll believe that when I see it!
My hip let me know it's still an issue, but I was able to persevere. I know I am not alone in my aches and pains. At this point in training for a long race, runners with no pain are probably not running enough! Every single person who came out in the rain today is my hero.
In some odd way, for me (and possible for others?) it was even fun. Yes, cold, yes, wet. Bring it on--I'm alive!
We ran on the SF Bay Trail, from Emeryville to Berkeley to Albany to El Cerrito and back. There's only one real hill on the course, so here's the view from its modest summit--which is reached by chugging up the road to the Golden Gate Fields parking lot. The buildings to the left are part of the racetrack complex. The taller buildings, on the far horizon and off to the right, comprise the Emeryville skyline. Our start/finish point is out of the frame, wa-a-ay to the right, past all the buildings, at the Emeryville marina.
And here's the home stretch, about 0.5 mi from the finish. I'm a sucker for photos of paths, if you haven't noticed. Part of my runner self responds strongly to the adventure promised by a curving trail. Even when I already know what I'll find around the bend, I still get excited at the notion of the motion that will take me to whatever that is.Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and dry, of course. I'll believe that when I see it!
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