Iron Lung

2 mile warm-up
4x200 (with 100 rest) 39,39,36,38
5k Tempo 18:54
4x200 (with 100 rest) 36,37,37,37
2 mile cool-down

Yesterday, this was my workout. Normally, I would do this at Wake Forest University, but I needed a change of scenery. So, I went to Hanes Park. It was very humid and hot, but as I approached the track, clouds came rolling in. They were big, dark gray clouds that were just waiting for the right moment to end all other outdoor activities, except running.
Not feeling so enthusiastic about the looming storm, I turned my IPod on and got going. Warm-up was fine, no rain yet. Then I began the 200s. The first 200 felt off, as if my legs could not remember what 37-38 second pace per 200 felt like. The second one was the same. I pushed harder through the third 200 – I ran 36. And then my legs started to remember.
These went by quickly and then it was time for the tempo. The 5k loop that I ran was the same that is used for the Ultimate Runner each year. It was wet, very muddy and the sky was growing darker; one gate was also closed and I had to stop and open it. As I was making my way through the course, I started to feel that slow burn creeping up my lungs, my legs started to grow weary with the end of the week blues, and my mind started to wander. Although I had some hot French techno pounding in my ears, a small doubt came whispering into my mind …Can I do this?
And then it happened; that fleeting question that affects me sometime or another…to go on or not go on? Almost immediately though, fighting through, I thought to myself: YOU DECIDE.
Do I give into this momentary discomfort? Or do I kick it to the curb, narrow my focus to one stride at a time, and embrace this pain knowing how good the finish will feel?
One step at a time, eyes forward. The tiredness left me, the doubts surrendered, and I slip-and-slid my way to the finish.
I finished off with the second set of 200s. And then, while cooling down, the sky decided it was time. It rained, rained, rained, and rained harder. Warm rain drops were pounding down on me, bouncing off my face, my shorts compressed against my legs and I could hear the roar through my headphones as it continued to rain harder. (Well, no need to shower tonight!) I was drenched. And yet, I was content. My Ipod was playing “My Iron Lung” by Radiohead. One lyric, ‘we are grateful for our iron lung,’ made me think of runners in general – we endure.
Covered in mud, bugs, and soaked to the core, those words rang loud and clear. I am a runner. I go out - rain or shine, hot or humid, cold or windy. I take whatever nature hands me that day, whatever strange aches and pains I’ve never felt before, and I know that I am not going to run out of oxygen, my legs are not going to quit on me, and even when my mind finds those doubts – I remember, I am running, I am free. I decide what happens and even though I am not entirely sure what Radiohead meant by their song…I am thankful for my iron lung.

Time To Begin.

Hello All Runner Sapiens:

Today is a new day; this blog, in the future, will be RunnerSapien.com! It is an idea, a dream of mine, that hopefully I will one day be able to turn into a reality. Until then, this blog will represent me. "Homo sapien" means "wise" or "knowing man"; I write this blog to explore my adventure in becoming a 'wise or knowing' runner and I hope you will join me.

My main goal is to share with you my successes, failures, and dreams as a runner and learn of yours. As you know, running is like life, each mile, each step, is a journey. It is a marathon, not a sprint. We go through our highs and our lows, days where we want to quit and become best friends with our couches and days when we feel as though we could conquer the world - or just the Kenyans & Ethiopians...

So, welcome to RunnerSapien. Put your hand on your watches, the gun is about to go off.