Tuesday, April 19, 2005

Things to Think About

Today was a run day, however my RIO's headset is broken. Apparently I sweat so much I short out the headset. So I had to think....what do you think about when you run?

1. I see two birds, a hawk and a mocking bird, fighting..so I think about: Why do thy call it a dog fightwhen two birds are in flight and fighting? why not call it a bird fight? If dogs flew what would you call their fights...I'm glad cows don't fly!

2. I see a dead black snake approxiamtely 2 ft long in the road...so I think about: Why did you sun yourself in the middle of the road? Remember that dead opossium from the other day?..I wonder what was eating him because now he's just bones...

3. At the 2 mile mark my left calf hurts...I think: Hey my calf never hurt before. Is it clipless pedals on the bike? Maybe I should stop. Naaaaa. Maybe I need more salt...take a drink of PowerBar Endurance and that will help...

4. As I enter the trail thru the woods and cross the wooden bridge over a small stream...I think: Ewu..... that smells like a stinky fart! EWUUUU that smells bad. I'm glad my house isn't next to this stream. I wonder if I'll see the panther today?...or the bobcat?...

5. As I come out of the woods at the 5 mile mark, I see another runner coming towards me....I think: Hey another runner, good pace but his shirt isn't wet so he just started, he's going to run along with me...nope he's behind me...drafting?...he's passing me...should I pick up the pace...what's my pace? no way my GPS stopped....I think the GPS needs new batteries...does the smoke alarms at home need new batteries? I'll run behind him...he's pulling away. He just started I'm sure...he's not wet like me...

6. As the runner ahead of me turns into the tennis courts, I think: See I told you he's not a distance runner, he's stopping...but where did he come from? He's not even wet...doesn't he sweat? How does that work? no sweat?

7. Half mile from the finish, I think: Hey I feel pretty good this morning. Maybe it was the yogurt smoothie with strawberries and whey protein that helped...Run faster now..there is the finish tape...look there's the tv cameras...OLN TV...the crowd is roaring...faster...I can see the clock...I'm going to qualify for Kona..faster... sprint....I raise my hands to break... opps it was just a training run...well it's good to practice pretending to breaking the tape just in case!..

So goes another 7 mile training run without music... What do you think about?

7 comments:

:) said...

All that and more, sir. If I do not have music to run with, my mind goes a hell of a lot faster than my legs (which does not help my running). Note to self: get some more batteries at the store!

soccerdad said...

since i have no portable music device, my mind constantly wanders like this. and like you've demonstrated, it can wander all over!
oh, and i always visualize breaking the tape on all of my runs.

Tracy said...

I LOVE this post! I had quite the road kill conversation with myself about a week ago, hilarious what we come up with! I'm half tempted to bring a little tape recorder with me next time out. I hate forgetting some of the stuff that wanders in.

Brendan said...

All over the place, but always returning to "I have to win that bet with my brother"

We're racing for a case of beer next spring.

Comm's said...

I often run sans radio and depending on how I feel, I mostly think about self-correction to my form, reminders to stay relaxed in my shoulders and checking my surroundings.

As I get further along or start to struggle with pace, form or pain, I slip into a mental trance of counting my left foot strike up to 80 and then repeat (a good running tip is to count your left foot strike for one minute-an efficent runner will hover around 80)or some bible quote I can repeat over and over. There is a couple other things I do as well but this comes to mind first.

On the flip side I listen to talk radio and not music when I run.

Nancy Toby said...

It must be tiring to be your brain! ;) I don't listen to music when I run, ever. I just go and try not to think at all, just listen to the sounds around me and observe.

Anonymous said...

Oh wow, I can't run without music and I'm very picky about what music I do listen to. I don't know what I would do without my ipod and the running playlist, sprinting playlist and biking playlist.

And I agree, it must be tiring to be your brain!