I had every intention of going for a run on Saturday, and when that didn’t happen, I was supposed to go on Sunday. That didn’t happen either. And so I made it out there this morning; but that was on three days’ rest, so I don’t know if today’s run was better or worse for that. I mean, as I write this, my left leg is sore, my left knee is sore. I’m going to blame the shoes.
Or, if not the shoes, the laces specifically. I got me some of them Xpand laces, the kind that you put in and lock-down and then there’s no tyying or untying: you just slip on your kicks and off you go. I need to adjust them a bit through a few runs, I think– one foot felt loose, the other tight. Or maybe I’m a lopsided person.
Today’s run was yet another hill attack. Started up a Roosevelt to 1st Avenue, a left turn and heading south, to Corliss, a right-ish turn, around Haller Lake to Meridian, and a left to turn to continue south. Mile 1 was just past 120th street, 8:41. I would have preferred 9:15; one of these days I’m going to learn how to warm up slowly.
After Northgate, Meridian is called College Way, and I continued, all descent until 103rd street (where I used to live, back in the day), then a short sharp rise up to and past North Seattle Community College. At this mini crest, mile 2, 8:34, and a total for the run of 135 feet below where I started.
At 92nd street I turned left, and this is where the climbing began. Up and up, over Highway 5, and mile 3 was just as I passed 8th Avenue, a 9:20. I peaked at Roosevelt, turned left, dropped a bit to 94th, another left, and a right on 5th avenue to start descending again. Mile 4 was right after the lowest point, a 9:14. (Running downhill is tough. When I was doing the Ragnar, I had one drop that was so long and steep I had to make a conscious effort to change my gait every ten steps or so to avoid getting a stitch.
And then climbing again, continuing up 5th avenue. A minute of waiting at the crosswalk at Northgate, and then up some more. By now I was feeling really heavy. But I have to say, that these multiple days of climbing hills– I was able to kind of zone-out and just trudge up. Foot numb, leg kind of achy, lungs near to bursting, but I didn’t have that emotional fatigue that sometimes gets the best of me.
Mile 5 just past 125th street, a 9:47. Then a left on 130th, a right on 3rd Avenue, Roosevelt and home. 5 and half miles, 50 minutes or so, 9:04 average (when moving). 382 feet of climbing. I had it in my head that dropping to College way and 92nd was not as low as the other attack points for Maple Leaf, but it turns out it’s more or less the same. All told, an okay run.