Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Some Potentially Smelly Speedwork - Pokey Style

Last night was long-run-recovery-run-night, and I decided to mix things up a bit.

People use the term LSR quite a bit – the Long Slow Run. And it made me wonder - what happens when ALL your runs are slow?

I only have 2 types of runs in my running repertoire – LSR and SSR. Yep – Long Slow Runs and Short Slow Runs. So it was time for a change.

My legs weren’t doing too badly after Saturday’s run. I had been really sore on Sunday, but most of it had passed by yesterday.

So I headed out after dinner – weather was great and I knew I needed a run. The first un-pokey-characteristic action of the night: I left my iPod at home. [insert shocked face here] Those who have known me long enough know that I would rather DIE than run without my iPod. When I am alone, I have only done that one other time that I can think of...and I hated it. I hate being trapped alone with myself in my head. I have relied on the music to occupy my mind and keep me focused on ANYTHING other than running.

Well last night I needed a focus-shift. I NEEDED to focus on running. I needed to be trapped in my head for a period of time so I could focus on nothing else BUT my running.

So I did.

And my goal for last night was SPEEDWORK.

Now, some may chuckle. Keep in mind that my speedwork is a slow jog for some of the experience runners.

No biggie. It WAS speedwork – it was just done Pokey Style. :P

I had no watch, no Garmin tracking my speed or distance – just my shoes, the road and me – running segments at a brisk pace that I would not have been able to keep up for any real duration. I would run a segment of unknown distance (i.e. “from here to the stoplight”) and then take a walk break. Then another segment. Some faster, some slower than others – but all of them at a pace substantially faster than my normal waddling.

When I first started out, my lungs started burning. Anyone remember that feeling? It took my thoughts back to my first few runs ever – the burning in my chest, the cramping in my side. UGH. I am glad those days are over. I am not sure if last night’s burning was a result of the much cooler air, or the tougher pace. Probably a combo of both. It only bothered me for the first couple segments and then I was fine.

I had planned to run one my normal routes – a 1.5 mile out and back route from my house. It’s easy, brainless, and keeps me on major streets – which I like to do when it’s dark. I only had one, small, teeny, tiny, MAJOR problem:





Yes, a SKUNK.


I heard some rustling in the grass during one of my walk breaks and I look to my left to see Mr. le Peu about 12-15 feet off my sidewalk, tailed poised right at me. I have no idea how far a skunk’s spraying range is, but I wasn’t going to stick around and find out. See, and you all thought I was doing any real speedwork! But can bet your sweet selves that I high-tailed it out of skunk zone and made a serious detour as to not have to run past the same spot again on the way home! Had I been running with Pat, we most likely would have had to stop and take a picture, but since I was solo I got the heck out. I would have hated to arrive at my office today and explain to the new hire that I just recruited about my new perfume. It was just way too close for my comfort.

Mr. Stink helped me get some extra mileage in, however, and I completed my run at 4.02 miles. I came home happy, feeling energized, please with my run, and most of all – smelling like a rose. :)

14 comments:

Jeff said...

Thanks for the laugh! (I'm not laughing AT you, I'm laughing WITH you.)

Imagine how much quicker you'd be able to run if you put that thing on a leash and had him (or her) behind you all the time!

J~Mom said...

I smell them all the time around here, where do you think they come from? Where was it? By my house? EEP! You are too funny girl! When else are you running this week? I need to get some short runs in. What about tomorrow?

Nancy said...

I too, only have one speed. Time for some speedwork!! I'm with ya. In fact, you think you were doing it makeshift, but I think it is Galloway that suggests you can do it exactly like you did it (pick out a corner or light pole). It doesn't have to be sophisticated to work. Hell, I don't know, I'm just repeating what I read. But I'll be working on it too. :D

My Life said...

Hurray for you and speedwork, but seriously, hurrah for the SSR!! Love it!

Pat said...

I think those are fartleks. I saw a skunk in my neighborhood too. And when you camp,they like to sniff your sleeping bag.

with you in it.

Hey, you still need to pick a guy for your Biggest Loser fantsy league. neil is due for a really big week, but he might get voted off shortly. Ryan, Bryan, Bill and David are the others you could pick.

Michelle said...

Sounds like a great run - glad you avoided the skunk, too! Eek!

Wes said...

Smiling ear to ear :-) Shakin things up a bit with some speedwork can be fun. Nothing like having a little wilderness type motivation thrown in as well!! Nice job on your run!!

Lost4now said...

WTG on the run!! I haven't come across any skunks, but I did see a whole gaggle of armadillos a few weeks ago.

Dan Seifring aka "OBRATS" said...

Sounds like you did great on the run and avoiding the stink monster.

Marathoner in Training said...

I discussed your blog with the voices in my head and we agreed that having a mp3 player keeps the voices quiet, or at least they sing along. That skunk would make a great pet, you should have taken it hime to the Mr.

Anonymous said...

LSR and SSR - i LOVE it!

way to go on speedwork!

Laura N said...

Great job on shaking things up. I'm addicted to my iPod too, so I know what you're talking about. I've gone out a couple of times without it, and I've liked it mostly. But I'm the same way as you--I don't like being in my head that long. Probably means I truly need to go out more often without music; when you don't wanna, that's when you need to the most.

That skunk encounter is scary. Glad he missed you!

aerorunnergirl said...

EWWW! Glad you spotted him before he spotted you!

I only have one speed, as well. Well, two, technically. Slow, and Dragging Butt. Good job on the speedwork, though!

Marcy said...

OMFG could you imagine? Getting sprayed by a skunk? ROFLMAO THANK GOD you saw him first LOL