Hello sports fans,
As you know, there is a fine line, a very fine line, between being a hard ass (or at least doing hard ass things) and being a dumb ass (or, rather, doing dumb ass things). This past Wednesday, I have the strong feeling that I crossed that line.
The temp is about 35 degrees and it is raining. Do I run or not run? I'm thinking -- it would be pretty hard ass/bad ass to go running today. So why not? I head downstairs to the lockerroom. Put on my short sleeve running shirt, long sleeve running shirt, and running shorts. I look for my long running pants -- didn't I pack them? Crap, I forgot them. Oh well, I say to myself, they would only get waterlogged. Lace up my shoes, put on my gloves and hat and off I go. When I first stepped outside, it did not seem that bad. It was cold, but not terribly. It was raining, but not particularly hard. The wind did not seem bad either. So off I went.
As I was leaving my office, I overheard one person say to another --- "that guy (i.e., me) is pretty hardcore." Or stupid.
Anyhow, the first half of the run was not that bad. I was holding about an 8:30 - 8:40 pace, which isn't bad considering this would be my second time running at the 5 mile distance (as you may recall from my last injury, I'm doing the slow progression to increased mileage - a couple of weeks at 3 miles, then 4, then 5, etc.). I was not feeling that cold and the rain was no more than a distraction. I think I saw maybe a dozen other runners out there as well. Good, I thought, I'm not the only idiot out here.
As I said, it was a good first half of a run. I reached the Lincoln Memorial and turned around for the 2 1/2 miles back. Then the distinction between hard ass and dumb ass hit my in the face. Literally. The reason the wind and rain and cold had not been so bad was simply because I had been running with a tailwind. Crap!! So now I'm soaking wet, in 35 degree rain, running INTO a 20 mile per hour headwind. Crap!!
I quickly got really cold. I reached down to smooth out my running shorts and realized "I CAN"T FEEL MY THIGHS!" They were numb from the cold! And (mothers cover your children's ears) my privates were frozen. This was not fun. At all. My gloves were soaked, my shoes and socks were soaked. I was cold and miserable. My pace dropped to about a 9:30 which only prolonged my continued exposure to the elements. I seriously considered ducking into the metro or running into one of the museums. But the realization that I would still need to re-enter the cold to get back to my office kept me going. The sooner I finish, I thought, the sooner I finish.
So of course what happens? With about 1/2 mile to go, an obviously lost tourist stopped me -- that's right, I'm running and she stops me. "Where is the Supreme Court Building?" And nice guy that I am, I stop, and proceed to explain to her how to get to the Supreme Court (we were near the Capitol reflecting pool). After thanking me profusely, I continued my miserable run.
When I finally entered my building, I was freezing cold -- my legs and privates were numb, my fingers were aching. As I retrieved my ID from the guards' desk, I remarked "Some people simply have zero common sense. I am one of them!"
At first the shower was unbearable (the FTC showers, it would seem, have only two temperatures -- freezing and scalding -- I have yet to figure out how to modulate them). Eventually, I thawed enough to enjoy the shower. But I was freezingn and shivering for the rest of the day. I thought about heading across the street for a Starbucks, but the thought of going back outside was too much.
So, there you are sports fans. Was I a hard ass/bad ass runner? or just a dumb ass without enough sense to stay out of the rain? I'll let you decide.
But I did get in my 5 miles....
As you know, there is a fine line, a very fine line, between being a hard ass (or at least doing hard ass things) and being a dumb ass (or, rather, doing dumb ass things). This past Wednesday, I have the strong feeling that I crossed that line.
The temp is about 35 degrees and it is raining. Do I run or not run? I'm thinking -- it would be pretty hard ass/bad ass to go running today. So why not? I head downstairs to the lockerroom. Put on my short sleeve running shirt, long sleeve running shirt, and running shorts. I look for my long running pants -- didn't I pack them? Crap, I forgot them. Oh well, I say to myself, they would only get waterlogged. Lace up my shoes, put on my gloves and hat and off I go. When I first stepped outside, it did not seem that bad. It was cold, but not terribly. It was raining, but not particularly hard. The wind did not seem bad either. So off I went.
As I was leaving my office, I overheard one person say to another --- "that guy (i.e., me) is pretty hardcore." Or stupid.
Anyhow, the first half of the run was not that bad. I was holding about an 8:30 - 8:40 pace, which isn't bad considering this would be my second time running at the 5 mile distance (as you may recall from my last injury, I'm doing the slow progression to increased mileage - a couple of weeks at 3 miles, then 4, then 5, etc.). I was not feeling that cold and the rain was no more than a distraction. I think I saw maybe a dozen other runners out there as well. Good, I thought, I'm not the only idiot out here.
As I said, it was a good first half of a run. I reached the Lincoln Memorial and turned around for the 2 1/2 miles back. Then the distinction between hard ass and dumb ass hit my in the face. Literally. The reason the wind and rain and cold had not been so bad was simply because I had been running with a tailwind. Crap!! So now I'm soaking wet, in 35 degree rain, running INTO a 20 mile per hour headwind. Crap!!
I quickly got really cold. I reached down to smooth out my running shorts and realized "I CAN"T FEEL MY THIGHS!" They were numb from the cold! And (mothers cover your children's ears) my privates were frozen. This was not fun. At all. My gloves were soaked, my shoes and socks were soaked. I was cold and miserable. My pace dropped to about a 9:30 which only prolonged my continued exposure to the elements. I seriously considered ducking into the metro or running into one of the museums. But the realization that I would still need to re-enter the cold to get back to my office kept me going. The sooner I finish, I thought, the sooner I finish.
So of course what happens? With about 1/2 mile to go, an obviously lost tourist stopped me -- that's right, I'm running and she stops me. "Where is the Supreme Court Building?" And nice guy that I am, I stop, and proceed to explain to her how to get to the Supreme Court (we were near the Capitol reflecting pool). After thanking me profusely, I continued my miserable run.
When I finally entered my building, I was freezing cold -- my legs and privates were numb, my fingers were aching. As I retrieved my ID from the guards' desk, I remarked "Some people simply have zero common sense. I am one of them!"
At first the shower was unbearable (the FTC showers, it would seem, have only two temperatures -- freezing and scalding -- I have yet to figure out how to modulate them). Eventually, I thawed enough to enjoy the shower. But I was freezingn and shivering for the rest of the day. I thought about heading across the street for a Starbucks, but the thought of going back outside was too much.
So, there you are sports fans. Was I a hard ass/bad ass runner? or just a dumb ass without enough sense to stay out of the rain? I'll let you decide.
But I did get in my 5 miles....
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