sunday surprise

Sometimes when you know you have to get a run in you struggle.....i find when that happens it is better to run around doing the things you need to get accomplished and come back to the run so you can give it the energy it deserves....i had this kind of run on Sunday.....my nine year old twin daughters, Rachel and Grace, were due for a little excursion (Christmas themed of course) so mid morning and afternoon were spent driving downtown and enjoying an ice skate at Robson Square, followed by a walk through the Four Seasons Hotel to take in the decorated Christmas trees.  We even enjoyed (the ladies might argue that one) some roasted chestnuts as we walked.  Definitely a Christmas Spirit kind of day.    We didn't get home to New Westminster until 2:30.  The sun was shining and the road was calling.  I laced up my mizuno's and got my iphone ready for the run ahead. I am currently training for the Vancouver First Half Marathon.  My goal is to finish in under 2 hours.  I run with my iphone using the Nike + Gps and I also utilize Runner's World Smart Coach App.  With 49 days until race day my scheduled run yesterday was an 11km run at a nice slow and steady pace. 

I headed out the door and ran towards Queens Park.  I have recently let my feet take me on a few runs down toward the old Woodlands site behind Queens Park hospital.  There is a nice paved trail that takes you all the way down to Braid and meets up with the Skytrain route.  Going down is nice and I had a beautiful view out to the Fraser.  Coming up presents more of a challenge and I powered up the hill as best I could.  Just as I was coming up the longest stretch of the hill I saw a car driving slowly toward me, and I watched in disbelief as the driver rolled down his window, ignoring his wives pleas and instead hollered at me as I tried to run by...I really didn't want to stop....but my father taught me well the rules of a good citizen and I had to...out of breath, I stopped and took my earplugs out and listened as the driver asked me where the visitor parking was.  I looked around and gave him the best answer I could considering I was just "running" by. 

I thought about it as I ran away.  First in a negative context.  I would never!  How could he?
He obviously wasn't a runner.  I obviously didn't wear the struggle that I felt on the inside as I powered up the hill.  I must have looked like a runner.   He must have known I would just begin again like the runner he knew I was.   And he was right.

Run 11km - Time 1 hour 11:30 minutes - Pace  6:30per km