Running Log: Harsh temps

Wilson/Card Gym at Duke

I managed to do a 3 mile run outside on Tuesday, but Thursday evening it was just too cold to attempt a run outside. I headed to the West Campus Gym at Duke, but the line for the treadmills was too much to handle. I decided to head upstairs and just run a bajillion laps around the indoor track instead. I also decided that rather than running for distance, I was just going to run for time. One of my main problems with running has always been the mental block. My body is getting to the point where it can handle the runs better, but I need to better prepare my mind. I can normally make it through laps because it is quantifiable. I can say, "I've run two laps and I have two more to go." There is a visible beginning and an end. But in the majority of road races, you run from Point A to B, and you normally cannot see Point B from the starting line. You are weaving through neighborhoods and up and down hills. It's then that you need to be prepared to just run. As easy as that sounds, it is probably one of the bigger obstacles I need to overcome. So, last night I just ran. I checked my iPod before I started - it was 5:27pm. I was going to run to 5:57 - a total of 30 minutes. No counting laps, no staring at a clock.

That sucks. It was definitely tough. With the cold weather, there were a lot of people on the track. It did feel good to get passed by someone going pretty quickly only to pass them a lap or two later since they tired themselves out so quickly. My buddy Rod also happened to be at the track at the same time, and we both finished our runs within a few seconds of each other. We were able to chat a bit and stretch before calling it a night.

Tomorrow will probably be another indoor running day. The temps may be as low as single degrees, and I think I am learning that 40 degrees is about as low as I am willing to go on an outside run. That means Saturday morning will be spent on a treadmill (yet another terrible machine I need to learn to live with) or running 40+ laps on the tiny track!