KRAC Blog

I have been as far as UB on the Amherst Bike Path, but I hadn't run it, and I hadn't realized that it is marked in tenths. It's really a nice run, although I could have used a little more shade. It was particularly good to see Dave out there, coming in as we were going out. One more week in the single digits, and then we'll be in completely uncharted territory. It was funny this morning: as I passed the marker telling me we had one mile to go, I thought, "Eh, a mile. Practically home," as though it was nothing, as though a mile or a hundred yards were more or less the same. We kept it at the pace where we could talk the whole way, about nine minute miles for the first 5k. I know I'm doing something right because the last mile and a half-- last two miles, really, were hard. Every week is harder, which is how you get better. The hardest thing, for me, at least, is keeping my mind in it. We ran for an hour and 24 minutes today, and you know, there just aren't that many things that I feel like I can do for an hour and 24 minutes straight. Drink beer, I suppose. Watch someone else exercise, while I drink beer.

You learn things along the way. After extensive testing, I can now state with assurance that at nine miles, I chafe. Don't chafe at 5k, 10k no problem. Haven't chafed over the full loop at the Ridge. But nine miles? Wow. Another thing I've learned? There is always more. I thought I was done in when I got home this morning, but there was enough left for me to do some errands on my bike. I could have gone ten today. I could have gone twelve. The mind is the only limitation.