Day 80

I think I've discovered my "wall."  Now with most runners their wall is a mile number, like mile number 2 or 22, with me though I believe my wall is a month - month three in my training to be exact.  August has been rough for me man!  I have kept up with my mileage, however it was been more of a mix of running and walking than I would like.  Through my aching ankles and finicky knee, I have started doing halves and quarters to get me through until I can run more.  Halves and quarters are what I'm calling my running to walking ratio: I run a half mile, walk a quarter.  It seems to be suiting me well, but I should be running full miles - I WAS running full miles.  This is exceptionally frustrating. 

Last night I discovered the perils of running at a high school track during the school year.  I was having a rough time anyway, doing only halves and quarters, but to top that I was also dodging soccer balls!  Yup, it was soccer practice, and some of those j.v. guys were not very good.  The end of the field where the varsity squad was practicing was a bit less treacherous, but I still had to keep my eyes open.
It had been raining off and on all day and the smell of the field was reminiscent of my high school days.  The sweet smell of the damp turf mixing with the pungent rubbery smell of the track.  Ahh, memories...  There was even a jogger who reminded me of Mrs. R - one of the high school gym teachers.  She was wearing wind pants that went "swish, swish, swish" as she ran.  For my last half mile, it rained one of the most pleasant rains I think that could have occurred: it was misty and cooling, without being drenching.  Unfortunately my timing was impeccable and I finished up my run just as practice was finishing up.  Since it was raining all of the parents were jockeying for spot close to the field to pick up their kids and I was blocked in by two minivans not wanting to move and sacrifice their spots.  It took a couple honks of the horn and the security guard to come over and tell the drivers to keep it moving before I was able to get out of the parking lot.