All Downhill From Here

It was beautiful outside last night – the thermometer read 7C/45F and the ground was dry and inviting.

Last night the marathon plan said 10 km, 6 km of which should be at tempo pace. While I haven’t been diligent in following the schedule exactly so far, last night I did my best. I have a 5 k loop with a couple of hills in it and managed to do the first loop in 35 minutes. My big, 2-minute hill came up at around 23 minutes and I took a couple of small walk breaks just before and after it. Ugh.

As I started the smaller hill towards the beginning of my 2nd 5 km, I felt much more warmed up, and by the time I was sailing down the other side I spotted a runner up ahead who looked very much to be going my speed. I put in a little extra effort (hey, I was supposed to be running at tempo, eh) and caught up to her. She must have heard my noisy feet and loud breathing and pulled to the side so I could pass. Instead of running on by (wouldn’t have gone much faster without a finish line ahead), I introduced myself and we exchanged the usual pick-up lines. I have to admit they sounded hokey (like picking up someone in a bar) as I ran them through my mind before we said them, but we said them anyway…

She: So, have you been running long?
Me: Oh about 6 years.
(pant pant)
Me (realizing there’s another answer here): but tonight I’ve only been going 45 minutes so far. You?
She: I’ve been running for about a year. Are you training for anything in particular?
Me: Police Half next month, then my *first full marathon* this July! and I keep in shape over the winter with the cross-country series (bla bla bla about how I love the XC series…)
She (duly impressed): I play indoor and outdoor soccer.
We also talked about her occupation, education and general, who-we-are stuff.
Me (also impressed, after babbling on about my son’s soccer activities, kids, life in general): You know, if you usually run around here on Thursday nights, I could use a running partner.
She: That would be cool!
Before we parted ways we set up a place and time to meet next week. Not at either of our houses, of course, because neither of us actually know each other, and we’re responsible women who use safe friend-making practices, eh?

That little bit of conversation cheered me up immensely. I tackled my 2-minute hill a second time with vigor, and felt so good at the top (?) (!!!) that I took no walk breaks and flew all the way home. I made it with barely negative splits, in 1:09:50. I even did 10 each (count ’em) push ups and crunches as part of my post-run stretching, before bathing and curling up in front of Survivor: Exile Island. My legs really didn’t mind this Thursday so much at all.