Getting Loopy

Fundraising update: Cash is slowly trickling in for my fundraiser, but it should pick up soon enough (I have faith in you, my friends). I have an all-ages show taking place at the Germain Street Baptist Church (our future home) July 22, featuring high school heroes Trip Lewis, The Exemptions, and Learning. Minimum donation is five dollars, so spread the word to your teenaged friends and come enjoy a night of great music!

Ok, back to the blog. I wasn't feeling great about my fitness level after my run on Sunday, and resolved to add other activities to my workout regimen. Today I included some warmup running exercises to my routine, and tomorrow I will attack my abs for the first time in ages. I doubt I'll see an immediate improvement in my times, but I should notice a difference in my form, which will hopefully ward off injury and increase my comfort level during those long Sunday runs.

My workout today included four 800 meter repeats (my online distance calculator thinks the loop is closer to 900 meters, but it's close enough for me), with a 400 meter run included for good measure. Thinking it was colder than it actually was, I left the house in a long sleeve shirt, which quickly became drenched in the humid West Side air. Cursing my decision, I jogged to my workout spot in a negative mindframe, and contemplated turning around and going home. Shaking off the thought, I resolved to finish at least three quarters of my planned workout. I tentatively started my first repeat, feeling every ache and pain in my body and I completed the loop.

Running a little slower than expected (the extra 100 meters probably had something to do with it), I decided to focus my forum during the second repeat. As I mulled this over, a city works crew showed up and opened a fire hydrant nearby. The mist blew my way, refreshing me as I started the second lap. Feeling slightly better, I picked up the pace and managed to knocked a couple of seconds off my time. Better yet, the aches that nagged me during my first repeat vanished, allowing me to focus on the task at hand. This run was getting better by the minute.

My third repeat wasn't amazing - a car and its passangers blocked my original path, forcing me to run a wide turn to avoid it and some nasty looking puddles - yet I still managed to maintain my pace. I decided to go all out on the my last loop, and knocked an extra second off my time, despite my fatigue. Excellent!

Feeling inspired, I decided to jog home and try loop out a neighbourhood loop that ended in front of my house. Starting my watch, I ran quickly and efficiently, and finished stronger than expected. Noting that my finish time, I checked my online calculator, thinking it would be close to a 400 meter effort. Low and behold, it was 400 meters on the button. I guess I won't have to travel too far for my next workout, eh?

I'd love to stay and chat some more, but it's getting late. If all goes well I'll find a group to run with tomorrow, or at least a new route to shake things up a bit. Wish me luck!

Chuck is running Marathon By The Sea in support of the InterAction School of Performing Arts Capital Campaign. To find out how to donate, please click here.