My week in running

Well, another low mileage week.  Last week I ran once, on Wednesday for 3 miles and then on Friday for 3 miles.  Saturday I had grand plans to go for a run with Maddox.  There is a very pretty trail 10 minutes from my house that is flat and runs along Padilla Bay.  I've walked it a couple times with my sister, but I've always been a runner that prefers to run straight from my house.  I always feel that if I plan to drive somewhere to run (other than a race) I won't do it, so I've never run this trail but I've thought about it often.

 On Wednesday when I ran I decided to go to Maddox's soccer practice and then down a trail to home.  Well, I was only about 3 blocks from the road to my house when my toe hit a curb and I crash landed.  There is something about falling that is interesting.  I never really believe I'm going to hit the ground until I do.  I think right up to the end that I am going to magically catch myself. Well, I did not . . . I hit and rolled, scraping my elbow and weird spots on my hand and one finger, like the very tip of one finger.  When I got to the trail I realized that it is no longer summer, and if I start a run after 6pm, likely I will be running in the dark.  The trail that I was running on is fine during the day, but is rather sketchy at night, so I got off it right away and went a different way home.

My run on Wednesday made me realize how early it gets dark now, so I got out my night running gear and went for my first dark run. . . Well, actually I rode the bus home on Friday and then forgot my phone on the bus.  Knowing that the bus was headed north after dropping me off to Bellingham (a 45 min drive north) I realized I needed to catch it before it left town.  After a crazy drive through town and a very nice dispatcher, I got my phone, but by then it was after 7pm.  I thought about skipping my run, but I didn't. But I did only do 3 miles again.

Since Damian got his most recent job he works every Saturday from 8-5, and Chris changed his schedule a few years ago and works Saturday as well, so I've struggled with my Saturday runs.  I tried early in the summer to take Maddox with me on a bike ride, but his bike was too small and he didn't enjoy it.  I ended up running around the middle school track for 3 miles or so while he played in the grass and was completely bored. But so was I, I hate track running.  Anyway, Maddox got a bike for his birthday (in June *ahem*) and I keep meaning to take him again to see how he does, but I've been lazy with that.  So I decided I would pack his bike into my car and go to the Padilla Bay trail and run while he rode.  I thought the trail was 2 1/2 miles one way, so i thought a 5 mile run would be great (it is only a little over 2 miles, but that didn't matter afterall).

When I shoved Maddox's bike in my car (no bike rack) I caught the chain on something and popped it off its track.  It took a little maneuvering to get it back on, but I did.  Then he was riding soooooo slow, I kept getting after him, and he finally said "it's so hard!"  At first I couldn't figure out why he'd think riding on a flat, well-maintained trail was hard, then I realized his bike has gears and it was probably in a high one.  So I got it down to a lower gear and we started again when I noticed his front tire was flat, like pancake flat.  So we limped the bike back to the car. He had rolled over a tack (or I did when I was fixing his gears). 

Maddox said he was good to go for a run with me, so we headed back out. I had to readjust how far we were going to go.  I knew he'd never make 2 miles one way and then have to turn around and do another 2, so I kept thinking I could get him to 1.5 with a total of 3 . . . he didn't even make it to one mile.  He tried to run back with me, but he kept walking.  So finally I put him on my back and gave him a piggy back ride back to the car.  I didn't take any pictures of that run, which I'm kinda bummed about, but oh well.

Sunday I went for a 6 mile run that ended up being 7 miles.  It was a really nice run.  I have to say, fall running is my absolute favorite, especially when it's sunny like it's been for the last 2 weeks or so.  I love the leaves and the crisp air.  As much as I love the warmth of the summer, it makes for miserable running. 

I have been kicking around the idea of a run streak.  I know that there is a popular one from Thanksgiving through New Year's.  I've never done a run streak, but for some reason, this year, it sounds interesting.  The rules of a run streak are that you have to run at least one mile every single day.  There was a story on the news a few weeks ago about a guy with the 5th longest run streak, he had ran for 40+ years, every day, one mile.  Then one day he was hurt and he quit mid-run.  I can't imagine running that much, I think he was in his late 70's when he quit.  Then I heard my supervisor and another lady at my work talking about their 100 day run streak (they didn't really do it though, they committed to 100 miles in 100 days but they counted a 5 mile run and then they didn't have to run for 4 days if they didn't want to, and neither one of them actually accomplished 100 miles in 100 days), but it got me thinking that it would be interesting if I could do it.

I am terrible at follow through, unless it's a race.  So I wonder if I can come up with some sort of reward for completing it.  I don't know what that would be though.  It has to be something I wouldn't do or get anyway.