Nurse on the Run

Just last week, I wrote about running by feel.  This weekend, I took it to a new level!  Ever since I got my garmin (<3) for Christmas a couple years ago, I’ve analyzed every run, every mile, every step.  Since I’m a numbers nerd, I can’t say that I mind being able to compare runs and get on-the-spot info about my runs.  However, there’s something to say for not knowing all of this.  For just…running.  So away I went.

Saturday was a perfect day for running.  It was in the 50’s (!!), sunny, and the wind had died down a bit.  I wore shorts and a long sleeve shirt, making a point to pull my sleeve over my watch.  The plan was to not look at my watch the entire run, and I must say I was quite successful until I pushed up my sleeves since I was getting warm!  I didn’t even want to look at the time, but I think I’m so used to checking my pace at certain points during the run that I instinctively looked down at my wrist.  I pushed the thought of the pace (that I can calculate in my head so quickly its absurd) out of my head and kept running along.  I felt like I was running the pace I’ve been running all week, but normally when I think that, it’s me of me being like “I think I’m running slow…I need to run faster!” and then dropping seven minute miles.  No need for that, no need for that.  Overall, I think I did pretty well despite a few glances at my watch!

Saturday, January 16
6.12 miles in 45:59, avg pace of 7:31

Today was…well today was something.  I woke up and decided I wanted to move my long run to tomorrow since it was raining and cold today.  I can do rain.  I can do cold.  I’m not sure I can do them together (although I certainly have in the past!).  My garmin wasn’t plugged in anyway.  Finally the afternoon rolled around (wasn’t too long since I woke up at 11…oops!), and I decided I wanted to run anyway.  I won’t freeze or melt or anything crazy like that, and I really like to run.  Well, my garmin was pretty much dead, so I decided…whatever, I’m heading out anyway.  That’s right, for the first time since Christmas 2006, I ran without a Garmin…without a watch!

Let’s just say it was kind of a liberating experience.  I knew how far I was going since I’ve run this trail a million times and know where all the half mile and mile markers are (that’s not obsessive, right?), but my pace?  No clue.  I didn’t even look at what time it was when I left so I couldn’t even guess how long I was out running.  This doesn’t mean I was slugging along, but I really just appreciated running.

Okay, I wasn’t slugging along at all because I was the only one on the trail and the SVU that I watched this morning was about a female runner who was attacked in Central Park.  I need to stop watching that show before I head out to run on an abandoned trail!  Thinking crazy thoughts definitely made me speed up during certain parts. 

Anyway.  While part of me really wants to know what my pace was, it was fun not knowing.  At the end of the day, I ran 12 miles.  And I liked it.  And I was SOAKING WET when I got home.  Oops?  It was quite difficult to untie my shoes to get my key out of my laces, but I made it.  There’s something to be said for just running and not thinking about how fast I’m going (or not thinking about how I’m going to blog about how fast I ran!).  Back to basics, which I think we all need from time to time.

With the twelve miles today, I hit (just under!) 38 miles for the week.  Not too shabby.