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Failed Attempt (excuse course)

June 7, 2010 (Afternoon)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: 71 degrees, breezy, partly sunny... anxious barometric pressure

Comments:
This is my second failed attempt in over a year. I say a failed attempt is when you TRULY INTEND to go out to run, but don't.

The last time it was november, and like 30 degrees, so I grabbed a pair of "Chille's" underwear which I paid $79 bucks for in 1997 (Fairbanks, AK) only to find that the damn things lost elastic and fell to my knees after about 200 yards. I tried to pull 'em twice then I had to come in. It's a quarter mile from my house to the start line. I don't go back and forth much, unless I intend to run, or intend to come in. There is some mental component for me to just walking out there. Sometimes I don't want to run, but if I walk out there I know that I will.

This time: My earbuds failed me. Yep, the $200 pair. (ear wax or sweat? I don't know... probably both since cleaning doesn't fix it). Left ear stopped working. I didn't leave the house before I put on the apple stock pair and headed out. I got about 1/2 mile and although the sound quality was good, I couldn't help feeling that I had about 300 yards of speaker cord wrapped around my ball sac, with hard awkward shaped bud speakers bouncing out of my ears every 4 steps.

First the right, then the left.... then the right again. I almost got hit by a cowtruck while reaming out my left earhole. I had to come in. I suppose the "Zen" god of running would have said, "it's time to get in touch with your breathing..." I've done that before and there is a place for that (such as periodically during a mini, or some long race when you do just want to hear yourself breath); I had a long day at work and I wanted to get punched in the face with something more than my own coffee breath, a run and some bad-ass tunes.

You can't cheat a run. They always hurt the same. Occasionally, you get glimpses of what it must feel like to actually be a good runner.... like a Kenyan, or even just somebody who is in shape. Basically, glimpses of what it must feel like to be anybody other than a guy (with this "at my limits" sort of pain). In the end I guess I don't care if I look like Barbara Streisand running from the grim reaper in high heels.... I'm just glad I get out there.

If I really want to be hard on myself, I can recall the time I ran 2 miles in 12:30 during boot camp at Ft. Benning Georgia. Or, the time I ran a mile in 5:42 at Brown County High. But, I weighed 165 pounds, and 185 pounds respectively then. Now, I'm comfortable at 220 pounds, and "in-shape" at roughly 205-215 depending on what you measure (strength vs. running ability).

Well, clearly I spent my energy typing today rather than running