Autumn Kick

Distance: 1/2 mile
Time: 3:15

It's been a tough month for running. With work starting back up and a much fuller load of classes this year, I've had almost no time at all to run. It's a shame. Tonight was only my third run this whole month! And I really shouldn't be slacking, because I have a few challenging endeavors coming up soon. On October 16th we're planning on hiking to the top of Mt. San Gorgonio, an 11,503 foot peak (the tallest in Southern California), and on October 23rd there is a 5K in Wrightwood that I'd like to participate in. Also, there is another mud run coming up, this time in Wrightwood, and it seems this one is a lot tougher than the Apple Valley race last month. Basically, I've got to get my butt in shape if I don't want to kill myself. My friend Matt is also planning on doing the Wrightwood races, and so he's been going on occasional runs himself. And tonight, I have him to thank for getting me out the door and getting a run in.

Matt posted a Facebook update saying that he had just run a half-mile in 3:38. It gave me a sudden urge to go time my own half-mile -- not because I wanted to beat his time, but because I need to run and I haven't timed my half-mile in over three months! So I immediately threw on my running gear and stepped out the door. I jogged a 1/4 mile down my street as my warm-up and then I started my timer and booked it another 1/4 mile farther, turned around and stopped at the spot I started my timer. 3:15. I couldn't believe it! The last time I timed my half-mile was on June 16 when I ran a 3:51. Before that, on May 26th (exactly four months ago!), I ran a 3:39. So I beat my previous 2010 best by 24 seconds! I'm not in great shape right now, but spending the whole summer running I think paid off. Even as sparsely as I'm running right now, I'm able to run smarter and more efficiently than back in May and June when I was just starting. So tonight I made sure to run smooth, take big strides, and run on my toes, as if I was sprinting. I wasn't sure I would be able to maintain that form for the whole half-mile, and at about the half-way point I did begin to tire out and break form, but I somehow pushed through and made it strong to the end. What's really encouraging is that 3:15 isn't too far off from my high school times. My slowest half-mile in high school, which I ran at my first meet ever on March 3rd, 1994, was a 2:56. That's only 19 seconds faster than tonight's time! (Of course I realize that the shorter the distance, the tougher it is to drop seconds). At any rate, I'm pleased with tonight's run, and just like my 2010 mile PR I set a couple of weeks ago, this 2010 PR gives me hope that I can maintain my progress even while working and being far more busy than I was over the summer. It is now officially autumn. Soon the weather will cool. I'm looking forward to some long runs in the crisp fall air.