I arrived in Chicago on Monday at the Swissotel and was absolutely ecstatic to find out that it was right on (well 90 steps up from) the Chicago River, overlooked Navy Pier and with great access to running paths on the lake! Yeah. I went for my 3 miler immediately before my meetings started.3.5 miles ~ 43:08 ~ 12:18 pace
With my meeting schedule pretty tight, I decided I needed to get up a little before 5am on Tuesday for my 5 miler. Anyone who knows me or has heard my Health Behavior Change classes knows what a big deal that is. Apparently Anthony Robbins is right.
If you want something bad enough...This second pic shows the river - my hotel is near the fountain on the right. I just climbed down 90 steps to river level and had a beautiful run out to the lake. I could have gone left to Navy Pier (barely visible here) or right to an expanse of boats and the little globes that are all over with their very green messages. What an adventure for me. I ran all the way to the Adler Planetarium and back, just taking in all the beautiful scenery.
5 miles ~ 67 minutes ~ 13:31 pace.
I'm not exactly sure why this was slower than normal. I felt a little tired but not like I was dying or anything. I ate a powerbar before and had some gatorade and a gel out at the planetarium. I guess maybe it is just one of those days. I am trying not too be too worried about it. Still excited from making 7 (and that was even a faster pace than this...) Up the 90 steps was certainly interesting on tired legs!!
We have lots of runners at this meeting and in our company. A colleague asked about me joining up with a group for a run but I said I am turtle slow. He said they would go pretty slow but when I told him between 12 and 13 slow (and turns out that was being optimistic), he said, "oh, yeah, that IS slow!" Oh well, I didn't let it bother me (hey progress here!). I mostly just thought it was funny and have told the story a few times. He didn't mean anything negative and actually was supportive and offered advice on running groups, etc. Shared this site with another colleague and friend -- Rick, the Ironman. He understood and is totally supportive of me just being out there.
Looking forward to this meeting being over (although I did pick up a few extra powerbars at breaks!) and heading to another friend's. We are planning on scrapbooking our brains out on Thursday. Will probably do another 3 miler before heading home. This weekend is the big 8...
5 comments:
Awesome that you so got 2 of your 3 runs in so far!
Don't worry about being faster or slower...you have to have slow days to make your fast days seem even faster! ;) At least that's what I tell myself.
I totally agree, it's about getting out there and getting the miles in. You did great.
It was an early morning run, you are travelling and attending meetings ... I'm not surprised you are tried.
It is all a matter of perpective. My daughter was telling me about her six mile run with two other people from a runner's group last Saturday. They were going at 8 minute pace (which to me would = the speed of light) and my daughter, being more of a nine minute pace gal, is ready to die any minute. When they were finished and chatting, something is said about something (apparently I don't listen that well)and one of the guys goes, "That would be easy running at the "snails pace" we just did. My daughter and the other guy exchanged looks of hatred for the guy (not really, my drama here). My daughter told me she would have laughed at the irony of the situation but she didn't have the breath left to do so!
Think of how crowded it would be if everyone ran the same pace. I say let the fast guys go out and find the potholes so the rest of us know what to avoid when we get there.
Nancy,
You are doig great. No one started out running fast. And the pictures you have tell me you had a beautiful run, so soak in the beauty. It must have been great to run along the lake. That is a run I can envy.
I loved reading this post! I don't get out of my home town often (strike that, EVER) and I would love to have the opportunity to run in another city.
Great job and good luck on this weekend's 8. I know you'll do it!
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