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Birthday Run

The crazies here in San Angelo talk of running their age in miles on their birthday.  I.... didn't do that this year.  You can tell I'm getting ready for a looooong race by the fact that 17 miles is considered tapering.  I made the mistake of destroying myself in the gym Friday afternoon, so I figured that a 17 mile run would be rough.
I was right.
Unfortunately, no one showed up.  But, I guess that's fitting.  Most of my long training runs here have been solo.  I have no Ryan Byron anymore.  It's all good, I still had a run to get in.  Thursday, I scouted out part of my planned route and found out that it was NOT a good idea.  There were a number of unchained, unfenced dogs that did not abide by me running on THEIR stretch of road.  I ended up having to dodge traffic and run on the grassy section in the center of the road.  If they really wanted to bite me, they'd have to work for it. 
Since it was my birthday, I decided to start and end at my favorite coffee shop in town, Coffee 101.

My route was suprisingly quiet.  I expected something to be going on at the sports complex, but there was just an older couple there walking.

this is what happens when I can't see my screen very well
From there I ran along the river for a while and got some, I think, pretty shots of the Concho river and there's even a couple trees that changed colors for fall

From there I found Lone Wolf Bridge.  I've run it once, but I was in a heated 3 person race and didn't take the time to look around. Since then, I've seen the bridge dozens of times, not realizing that I'd already been there once.  It's a cool old truss bridge built nearly 100 years ago.




This guy was just hoping I'd drop

The bridge I take when I'm heading downtown from work

To be honest, I didn't really want to run.  At mile 8 I sat and thought about quitting for a bit.  However, I'd announced on Facebook that I would be running 17 miles.  Sometimes I do that just to hold myself accountable.  I was tired from Friday's workout, the fact that I didn't eat much/well the day before, and the surprising humidity.  I kept going, but it was pretty slow.
"El Paseo"

The San Angelo Riverwalk

taking a break after 9 and planning where I'll get 8 more miles from
Well, I finished.  It wasn't pretty and I wasn't happy but I did it.  I guess you could call it a victory for discipline.  It was one of those days where I HAD to run, not wanted to run.  But, it'll pay off next weekend.  I hope. 
I turned 34 Saturday.  It got me thinking about athletic primes.  Is mine over?  Watching 36 year old Shalane Flanagan win the NYC marathon and 35 year old Wilson Kipsang come in second helped me think I had a few years of improvement left.  The commentators certainly made note of their age a few times though.  The true answer is, does it really matter?  I guess I was thinking about it out of curiousity.  I've heard older runners talking about finding different motivations.  Truly, the runners that I see doing it the longest are in it for the fun of it.  Tell me that Kent Fish isn't having a blast every time he laces up his shoes.  In any event, I did set a lot of PRs in my 34th year -

  • PT test (1.5 mile) 10:04 official and 9:53 during a 2 mile time trial
  • 5K 21:53
  • 10K 44:55
  • 1/2 marathon 1:42:49
  • marathon 4:03:44
OK, I'm supposed to be working on college stuff.  12 days til Wild Hare!
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