Summer is a tough time to stay true to running schedules. Where I live, outside of Washington, DC, summer temperatures jump to the 90s too quickly after the sun rises, and the humidity only compounds running discomfort. Travel schedules make training consistency difficult, and running buddies are more often away than available for weekend long runs. Today the weather cooled. Families are wrapping up summer vacations and heading to Target for new lunchboxes and backpacks. It’s time for a change in mindset.
After four weeks apart, today I reunited with my neighbor-and-running-buddy, Kara. Our mutually -full summer travel schedules contributed to a month long separation, during which time neither of us did a very admirable job keeping with our running schedules. Today we faced the music.
8:45 a.m. Kara texts me: Want to run at 9:15? I’m only gonna run for 20 minutes.
8:50 a.m. I reply by text: Yea – I’ll run.
9:15 a.m. Knock on the door and Kara comes in, ready to run. I put down my lap top and we’re off on a familiar loop around the neighborhood.
9:20 – 9:50 a.m. Jogging with non-stop chit chat. (Still more to hear about Kara’s latest vacation; Both kids got sick and visited out-of-network physicians; Kara stung by jellyfish on 2nd day at beach; Discussion about the progress of my living room redecoration; Progress of ZOOMA Denver; etc.)
9:55 a.m. I’m back to work for a call at 10 with the ZOOMA Austin charity partner and Kara’s back with her kids.
By all accounts, this morning’s run was NOT a great workout. We walked at least twice, and during the periods we were running, our pace was admittedly slow. As we turned off the running trail to head back home, Kara said, “Don’t worry. We’ll get back in shape.”
Despite our less than stellar performance, the morning was perfect… Although August is still with us for one last day, it seems as if fall has already moved in. The sky was overcast, and the temperatures hovered around 70 degrees. All in all, perfect running weather, and a perfect day to renew my running spirit and to catch up with a good friend.
And to me, that’s all that really matters. So, while school kids are sharpening pencils and carefully packing backpacks with markers and notebook paper, I’m gathering my best running intentions and focusing them on my running shoes. Fall is here… back to running.
