6 Hilly Miles

i had to run tonight. i was on a farm call right until noon, so couldn't run at lunch, then i worked until 6 and didn't get home until after dark. i decided to eat and let that settle since i was going to be running in the dark no matter what. i finally got started around 8:30pm. i was running on a very hilly road with 3 long, steep hills, hills that i felt like my legs were barely moving when i got to the top. once i got my breath i felt like i was starting up another hill. i figured my time wasn't going to be very good, but i knew i would be much stronger once i finished and healed. i did wear a small cheap flashlight so cars could see me. i repeat cheap. it quit working less than 1/2 a mile into the run. i think all of the bouncing was too much. after it quit working, it would flash off and on with the bouncing of my steps. at first i wasn't sure if it was lightening or the light. i turned the light off and realized it had been the light. then i ran another mile and actually saw lightening in the background. anyway, i finished 3 minutes faster than my fastest 6 miles so far this year, a welcome surprise.

here are my splits:

.5= 4:57 151
1.0= 9:42 4:45 162
1.5= 14:06 4:24 164
2.0= 18:52 4:45 168
2.5= 24:03 5:10 169
3.0= 28:59 4:56 163
3.5= 34:27 5:28 167
4.0= 39:52 5:24 163
4.5= 44:59 5:07 162
5.0= 50:31 5:32 168
5.5= 55:56 5:24 166
6.0= 61:07 5:10 164

the hills really made my splits vary quite a bit. my legs feel really good right now. i did have a little shin and calf pain during the run. i started trying to run "correctly" by landing more on the balls of my feet instead of my heels. that really works my calves more, have to slowly get used to it. after the first really big hill i had to start running my regular way by hitting on my heels. i think i can really improve my times if i can learn to run that way.

thought of the day: on my run i was thinking of the quote from Braveheart "every man dies, but not every man truly lives." i was wondering why that is. why doesn't everyone live passionately for something? maybe not everything i live passionately for is really worthy of living passionately for, maybe i should be more productive with my passion and redirect it to "worthy" causes. i could go on forever on this, and i think i have in the past so i won't tonight, just crossed my mind on the run. just think about it, again.