Sunday, October 10, 2010

Long Run #12: Not really a long run

It was a cloudless, cool day along the Arborway, the Jamaicaway, the Riverway and the long, rolling hills of Franklin Park.

Chalk up a fourth B.A.A. half marathon (aptly the 10th anniversary of the event on 10-10-10) .... and note it as 20 seconds faster than last year.

One of the more satisfying things about reaching this point in the marathon training:  13.1 miles no longer sounds like a long run.

(It still feels like one.  Especially when I want to run fast and don't feel like I can, legs weary from mileage-building.  Double especially when I forget how the tension, adrenaline and effort of road-racing for 2 hours saps even plentiful energy stores. Despite a mid-afternoon nap, I'm twice as exhausted tonight as I was last week after nearly 3 hours of the pressure-free same.)

One of the more satisfying (and most often forgotten) benefits of Southie is its proximity to Boston Harbor.  It's on the drive home and in October, the beach is empty.

 Sugar Bowl looking toward Castle Island

Which makes possible a third satisfying thing:  enlisting the waves to leech the ache out of some wicked sore running feet.

Aaaahhhh.

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