Awesome Run

TODAY'S run was awesome...yesterday's not so much.

Last night I hit the treadmill at the Briargate YMCA in Colorado Springs. Whereas at my local Indian Boundary YMCA in Downers Grove, IL, I am probably the fittest person there, at the one here I am one of many! It was nice to look around and see so many uber-fit people. And it was humbling to need to stop and catch my breath every few minutes while trying to run a 10:00mpm pace, which I rarely do. But I knew I needed to tough it out, that it would get better as the week wore on, and today made me happy for sticking out a 1-hour run last night.

Today I got to run outside in the beautiful sunshine, accompanied by a coworker on his MTB. We went out on a trail that you access right from the office, and it goes through the Air Force Academy property at the base of the mountains. I was suprised after :15 to look at my watch and realize that I hadn't needed to stop and catch my breath. I think the breathtaking beauty around me cancelled out any physical weakness I might have!

We went out for :30 and back, and even though the out piece was more downhill, I didn't run that much more slowly on the way back in. And I got to run through rushing water--it rained like all heck yesterday, and I expected some wetness, but this was serious water. Not very deep, and it actually felt good! Also, at one point, we saw a magpie! I took this to be a good omen, and it made me wistful for LGL, who I won't be riding again until Saturday (I rode Bitchie all last week, and for the record, enjoyed it very much--she's still a solid ride, and aerodynamic as hell).

I managed the run after waking up at 4AM today (still managed a little over 7.5 hours of sleep--my body is still on CST though), stretching for :30 and then doing a :30 core workout before heading to the pool to swim. I thought I had calculated today's workout at 3,400 yards, but when I saw how long it took me to do it, I thought that can't be right. Back at the ranch, I figured it out, and I swam 3,600 yards today! And I'm doing it again tomorrow. Lungs are feeling pretty good in the water, and they felt pretty good running today, but now I seriously need some sleep. Maybe a good, heavy dinner will do the trick (copious amounts of Chinese last night were not enough to prevent me from waking up starving). We are going here: http://www.craftwood.com/ I am craving protein, so I will definitely get what I need tonight.

I continue to meet really awesome people out here--plenty of endurance freaks, to say the least--and they don't even think I'm crazy!