On Sat. we will be going for 13 miles, essentially a half marathon. Now it may be a bit much to call this an easy 13..but after the 18 in the rain and wind, l would assume this is definitely an easier task. We have been told to go for our marathon pace, which is a 15min/mile pace, which we've essentially have been doing, give or take 10 - 15 seconds, so figure we'll be pushing it a bit on this run. I believe we are all good for it.
We will meet our usual 6:45am, and at 7am, we will head South for .7 mile, which is about two blocks past Washington in the alley, we come back and then head North all the way up to San Vicente and 26th, turn around there and head on home. Nice and easy. Again, be sure to get there early and use the restrooms, as we will not slow down or wait for any bathroom breaks. This distance would be a good one to see if you can do it without using the restrooms, which will be great training for the marathon. Generally there are long lines at the portapotties all the way till about 15-18 miles.
The following weekend we'll all be meeting at Dodger Stadium, and not in Venice for the Sat. run. This will be primarily for our hill work, so running up to 26th will be good training for the Stadium workout. I will have more details about this next week, but the big news is our traditional coffee and bagels brunch at my studio after the Stadium run. I have a studio in Atwater village on Glendale blvd. and this is only about 10 minutes from Dodger Stadium, so more info on that to come also.
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This past week I have found myself going to a variety of meetings, mostly related to my upcoming teaching position and my regular stuff, but the interesting dynamic is deciding when to speak up and when it's better to just listen. I'm like the new kid at school, and I'm just trying to figure out the pecking order and who's who, and what the different camps are. Of course everyone is all very nice, and all seem to get along, but it's trying to read between the lines, and figuring out where the real power plays are, and then trying to decide where I fit in all of this.
I know this will all work out and it's going to be great, but every now and then, it's a bit scary to start something new, and slightly unfamiliar, and even though I know how to put up a strong front and a show of confidence, I still have those moments of doubt. Deep down inside I know I've been through this so many times before, and I have the experience to get through it again, but I can't help those empty gut feelings of.....here we go again.
Gee...it's almost like running a marathon...the anticipation, the fears, the doubts, the waiting at the start line and looking at all these other people who look so athletic and in shape, and wondering if I'll be able to finish. Yes, i go through this each time, and if anything, having the experience of doing a few of these before is that the only comfort I have is that yes, this is normal. It doesn't excuse me from going through the nervousness, it just means that I know this is how I'm supposed to feel, and that everyone else is feeling it too.
Life is just a bunch of cycles, and we enter new arenas, and new experiences all the time, new challenges, new hardships, new victories, but that's the best part, we keep getting new chances to do it over again, whether we win or lose, do well or not so well, we get to learn and grow, and hopefully do better each time.
Let's do a great 13 this Sat, it'll be worth it. Now only if I can figure when recess is.......
Walt
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