21 Feb 2009

First blog- off the cuff no regards to grammar

Cold morning, got out about 8am and walked down to the beach said my pre -run prayers. Dressed in long pants, my black Eagles beanie and gloves...I knelt in the sand, no-one on the beach the sun rising up out over the horizon to the east infinite waters topped by glimmering shiny bits of light unfurling over the gentle waves. Alone but for one seagull who swoops in and lands in front of me and glances back at me i acknwoledge him or her and we share a view of the Atlantic for a few moments in the eternal dream...then i'm out and off hit start on stopwatch after I walk back off the beach. Set out to do one of my standard loops about 6.5 miles...down first past the condo complexes and smaller beach houses on the narrow road parralel to the dune line. Air is crisp fresh no wind which makes the 25 degree or so temps. palatable easy pace I take on across then the main drag S. Lake Park Blvd... up on and thru Carolina Sands neighborhood, out the back way spilling onto 6th street, then up Sumpter Rd and past Chappelle Park. On by a morning tennis match and some teens skating on the cement banked ramps. Steady moderate pace probably about 8 1/2 minute miles legs need some recovery from tougher run in state park yesterday w/ Colin and Echo (the super running dog, could win Boston) and repeats/ speed work thursday.

Run today takes me eventually on the length of the greenway then pick up old dirt bike trail that meanders roughly parallel to the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway before it spills into the mouth of the Cape Fear River...then up thru more of the woods deeper into the thick deciduous trees away from the water into the campgrounds of the state park, down some park macadme roads, two more trails, then back out thru the main entrance of the park. Run then thru some back residential neighborhoods to the boardwalk run the length of it 1/4 mile or so view the ocean on the left...Kure Beach pier two miles up the beach...then down the ramp onto the beach hit stop on the stop watch and the run is done in 55 minutes and change point to the sky give thanks and take cool down walk. Good run, smooth easy effort.

PM: Ran the course that's going to be used for the Lo-Tide 5K in March. Moderate effort, held good consistent pace throughout ran it in a little under 22 mins. Good workout especially after run this morning.