back on the streets...

feeling a little better today, and beginning to panic because the bolder boulder 10k is just two weeks away and i've got all of three outdoor miles under my belt this year at altitude - i decided to test a new run in the new neighborhood tonite. i'm rarely one to challenge a cold with intensive exercise, but i thought it made more sense today to get out and run rather than rest my lungs for some indeterminant amount of time. plus, we had a nice cloud cover - and that's been rare around here lately...

last year when i ran outside (and trust me, there was nothing before last year), i'd run from work on one of the bike/rec trails denver is known for. this usually worked best for me, since i'd get on the trail right after work, run for 4 or 6 or 8 miles, and head home to relax. now, though, i live two doors from city park (a 3.25 mile loop) and the 17th avenue parkway. i'd tested (badly) the park loop the night before leaving for wildflower, so decided to do the parkway this time...

perhaps because i have the mind of an engineer, i like runs where i can count off the distance using my surroundings - and this out-and-back route was perfect for me. short blocks, moving in alphabetical pairs, a through q. i like to know where i am and exactly how far i have to go when i'm running (i'm still trying to get to the point where running is actually enjoyable - not sure i'll ever manage that!), so this was like a dream...

i should say, that part of the run was like a dream. the rest - not so much. almost immediately, i felt the burning pain of my lungs letting me know that they were not - in no uncertain terms - happy with this heavy breathing thing. my legs felt heavy, and i plodded along at a pace that was well below what i expect of myself. of course, i have those expectations based on a healthy body and the real training of last season. there were a couple good parts, too - i had negative splits and convinced myself to tack on an extra half-mile on the out (also known as "the next stoplight") - and i'm certainly happy i got out and didn't let this cold deny me yet another opportunity to run on a beautiful colorado day.

the coming week is my opportunity to get some miles done in preparation for the bolder boulder, and i'm convicing myself here - in front of this incredibly vast and wise readership (hello carrie - sorry it's so lonely in the foolish epidemic fan club) - that i need to take advantage. if i don't have three good runs minimum in my legs by this time next week, i should be strung up and forced to listen to wayne newton on repeat...