Story
Belated Long Run
Or what happens when one prioritizes being a parent over being a runner…
I had planned on doing one of the half-marathon courses the prior weekend, but a Saturday spent moving my child’s belongings from their old digs (solos apartment) to their new digs (group house) while dodging thunderstorms wore me out, so much so that I had to take 2 days off. I still wasn’t feeling all that sure about my condition this morning, but the weather was perfect for a run, so I chose this route because it was a) a road course; b) close to Teagle (post-run shower!); and c) easy to cut off at any number of points so if I wasn’t doing so great, I could just head back to Teagle.
Sure enough, it was slow going at the start, but the weather was nice, and campus was mostly empty, and soon enough I was across the bridge and onto Highland Avenue. The RunGo lady was sorta helpful ,but was unusually inconsistent on turn notifications, but it wasn’t a big deal - I had run variations of this route for 20+ years. Once on Highland, I began cruising, venturing out onto the street to avoid the occasional dog walker or pedestrian - and the one other runner I encountered on this stretch. I also had fun noting the houses for sale as there really weren’t any gardens in bloom to watch.
The turn down Remington came quicker than I remembered, which pleased me - as did the long downhill. The RunGo lady seemed a little vague on turns, but again, I was just amused. I was also amused by the only vehicle to pass me - an Cayuga Heights police SUV - guess I’m not a particularly suspicious person.
I got to the bottom of Remington, where the fun sorta ended and the run really began. I was starting to feel the layoff, but I also knew I didn’t have that much left. I dodged the construction behind Boynton - 6 construction workers?!? - and nodded to the runner going the other way - only the second of the day. I was somewhat surprised that the Ithaca Falls, while vigorous, wasn’t roaring, given the recent rain. I was also surprised that the RunGo lady didn’t tell me to go behind Fall Creek Elementary, on what I used to call “the secret path”, but I was aware it was the right way to go. It was only when I approached the start/finish of the course that I realized something was up because the RunGo lady was telling me to turnaround…at which point I discovered I was using an unofficial route. Since I was at the start/finish anyhow, I stopped that and started the proper route, and the RunGo lady started telling me what I expected to hear. Perhaps that spurred me to run up the last set of hills (Cascadilla Way, Willams St, gravel path) or perhaps it was the caffeinated gel I consumed by the high school. In any case, I made my way back to Teagle, somewhat surprised and very happy with the effort…perhaps good things do come to those who wait!
Strava activity
Fixed now.
