Since I knew that I wasn’t going to run the Central Maine Striders 10K at Quarry Road tomorrow, even though I had registered back in May. The COVID-19 numbers are too high still for me to start racing again. So, I decided that I would do a 10K today somewhere.

However, I was sick most of the week and based on the CDC guidance on their website, I wasn’t going to do it in a populated area.

Which meant another run from the house.

Another slow run, since my stamina was still way down.

It was a gorgeous day for a run. In the 50s, a bit of a breeze, leaves turning color, a few clouds, with a lot of blue sky. The kind of day that runners dream of during those hot/sultry days of summer.

I finally decided that running out 3.0 miles on Tiffany and then finishing some place on Howard Circle was probably the best course for a 10K. Especially, since I wasn’t attempting to run fast.

For many reasons, I really procrastinated starting out this morning. Primarily, though, I have to admit I was a little down because I wouldn’t be running the race and doing — yet another easy run took the challenge out of doing the 10K.

The first 5.0 miles went by with me keeping a fairly steady pace, and while I worked the hills a little harder coming back, it wasn’t a challenging effort. It became more of a get it done run and when I finished I was glad it was over.

However, it was a run where I did a LOT of thinking about my running.

One of the things that I decided is how I need to simplify my running and get back to my basics. What are the things that I consider to be necessary for my running to be enjoyable and allow me to continue to improve as a runner.

Each time I do and say this, some new piece of technology, book, website, or idea that if I do this my age becomes less of a concern, somehow creeps back into my life. Then I find myself attempting to journey to places that either never were or are, no longer destinations that are mine.

Supposedly, part of the aging process is gaining the wisdom to see things as they are, not as you might want them to be. I am slowly but surely gaining this ability with more clarity than I really want at times. When I looked back at some of the things I have been looking at, attempting or done lately, I have a feeling that I need to take my own advice.

“Usually, the newfangled things are good for minor gains, but I tend to keep coming back to the basics. Run a lot, some of it fast, most of it slow, take a day off when you need it, eat decently, sleep well.”

During the past six months or so, I know that I have been attempting to journey down paths that are not so much closed to me, but more…the wrong ones for who I am now. The more I keep fighting to go down those paths, the more obstacles seem to be placed in front of me — both physical and mental. Which tells me that I am not doing something correctly for me.

Over the next few weeks, I am going to start simplifying my running. Along with figuring out what technology is useful versus “nice to have information” or rather irrelevant and unnecessary.

The Karhu Ikoni 2020s, did everything they were supposed to do on an easy run. They were mostly quiet, comfortable, and I forgot about them and focused on thinking about other things.

A good run and one that I needed to do, but just not the one that I wanted.