I wasn’t sure what I was going to do for a run this morning and wanted something between 3 and 5 miles. I also needed a course where I could get my confidence back. I know that I’m in better shape than I’ve shown lately. However, I’ve struggled mentally with running up some pretty small bumps as well. I decided to run from Hannaford and then down past Temple Academy, back up Silver St to Western Ave and then back along Cool Street. While not flat, the bumps were pretty easy to negotiate and actually a little more than some of the ones that I’ve struggled on lately.
- Course: Hannaford-Carter-Western Ave Loop
- Distance: 3.23
- Time: 30:53
- Pace: 9:34
- Avg H/R: 147
- Weather: 70* and overcast
- Shoes: Karhu Ikoni 2.0
The first mile I was focused on getting the kinks out and enjoying some of the little sights that I usually don’t pay much attention to while crossing the bridge over to Carter Memorial Highway, then back towards Silver St. Traffic was really busy in Waterville this morning, but then again, it seems to be that way most of the time now. I did slow down a little going up Silver Street, but the left foot felt fine and the Ikoni’s were doing what they were supposed to do – forget about them. Though I felt a certain urge and knew then that I needed to cut it to the 3.0 mile course.
Going up Western Ave across the bridge right before Cool Street, I know that I slowed down a lot, not so much that I was feeling bad, but more because I was going up a small bump and wanted to make sure that I didn’t stop. I didn’t. Then on Cool Street, I focused more on the Red Light at the end and let that pull me along. Once I got past the church, I did pickup the pace a little and by the time I got past 3.0 miles, I purposely picked it up a little more for that last quarter.
No, it certainly wasn’t the fastest I’ve run this loop, but that isn’t the reason I ran this one today. No, I knew that it was a confidence building course and it did exactly that. I made it all the way around the course without walking or stopping, which is something that I needed to do for me, rather than anything else.
Overall, a very good run.
Harold Being Harold 