We had 34 runners with us this Sat. and we had a nice foggy morning, which kept things cool. We did our full 9 miles, did it in about 2hr. 20 min. and averaged around a 15:20 pace, which is about right as we are definitely into our hill work.
We started as usual heading south to Washington down the alley, came back up along the Strand, and then continued north up the Santa Monica ramp, taking our full 2 min. run, but taking it easy, and Peggy called two 1/1 intervals at the top to let everyone recover a bit, and we kept it going till we hit the Totem Pole. We did the turnaround and made it back to the start without incident.
The only tricky thing is that even though the fog stayed around for the full run, and that kept us pretty cool, the added moisture in the air still made for a denser air, and that can sometimes make for a bit more work.
I believe we are settling into a nice group sense, we're averaging about 30 plus folks every week, and even though we still are getting some new runners joining us, and a few shift in and out, I have a feeling the group is starting to come together. This sense of group is an important one as we start building the mileage. We all know it's easier to get things done when there are more people to help, and even though in running, it's really an individual effort, by running within a group, this effort is shared. Even though we are not moving that fast, there is some advantage to the aerodynamics of the two-by-two lineup, by keeping everyone in line, and a tight formation, we act as a unit, and by being inside this unit there is a physical and definitely psychological pull that helps keep everyone moving together.
This is also why I rotate our pace PL at the front every several miles, to keep the lead person fresh, it's quite a responsibility to keep a steady pace, and to keep track of the intervals. But the other reason to rotate people around is so that we all get to know each other a bit more. I don't expect that we can all be BFFs because we happen to be running together, but on the other hand, don't be surprised if a special bond develops because of what we about to go through.
On Sunday night I dropped off my oldest daughter back at her dorm in Irvine. She had come home this weekend just to visit, and to do her huge basket of laundry. It's always good to have her back, and it's great to see her and her sister get back together the way they've always been, to hear the laughter and the hours they sit and watch their favorite tv shows. So far she seems to be handling the college life well, she did good on one of her first midterms, and she gets along with her roommate. The roommate does go home every weekend, since she lives not far from campus, so the weekends are quiet. My daughter has met a few other folks in her unit, but I don't think it's quite up to the hanging around type of friendship yet. So when I helped her carry that large laundry basket up to her room, I felt the emptiness of the room, and I couldn't help feel a bit lonely for her.
I didn't want to project my own sensibility, so we hugged, said goodbye, and I left without looking back. I couldn't help feeling sad on the drive back, and I had the same feeling I had when I used to drop her off at pre-school, and even though she didn't cry then when I left, I'm not sure if I felt more insecure than she did back then.
We all learn to adapt, and we all have to move on, whether it's just a matter of making it up that next hill or finishing a tough 9 mile run, we learn from each step we take and we know we'll be fine when it's done, but boy....sometimes it does take your breath away getting there.
Have a great week, get your runs done,
Walt
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