Just coming off my first full week of work after vacation and it feels like forever ago already. But I haven't taken a vacation from my running and since I have been back I have diligently returned to the gym. I have had a few epic runs (one which included a run over Pattulo Bridge) and this weekends training run route is still up in the air but I definitely plan to challenge myself.
Speaking of challenges I went for a run last night and headed down towards the Quay forgetting that my training run was supposed to be "rolling hills". Now anyone who knows their way around New Westminster knows that once you head down to the river the only "rolling hills" you will find are those of the large roll size and probably not what my training plan had in mind.
When we were little kids we would beg our Dad to take us down "fun hill", a gut dropper of a hill at the end of Queens Avenue in New Westminster that goes down really steep and then (God bless those road engineers - but what were they thinking?) has a colossul dip that then continues in a steep descent. I can remember being in the blue Valiant when it actually "caught air" before we rocketed back to the ground. Serious gut dropping fun better than any roller coaster or Zipper ride that Playland has to offer. My little ladies now scream for the "fun hill" experience and my little Mazda likes the thrill too, although my shocks..not so much.
But screaming was exactly what my calves and quads and glutes were doing as I did a reverse up fun hill last night and declare it to be not so fun hill when you aren't in a vehicle. In fact I would even go so far as to say tortourous, especially as I had already ran about 8km and my legs just weren't in the mood for a hill.
Lucky for me the best song to run hills to came on, Seven Nation Army by White Stripes and I was able to dig really deep and charge up the hill and home.
In the station wagon, we used to beg dad to go down the fun hill - he would oblige but he had a trick - he would take the keys out of the ignition and go down with his hands in the air - look ma, no hands. I ran down the hill a few weeks ago and my calves screamed so I'm sure it's worse coming up. cheers
ReplyDeleteJust realized, from Rachel's comment, that the family divides up a bit around who remembers the various vehicles -- altho'I don't know that Dad really got into the fun hill with the Rambler -- I remember that as associated with the Pontiac (the station wagon). Joel might differ.
ReplyDeleteBig test? how are you quads today? I'll be impressed to read that you'll still do your long training run. I'm supposed to do one today as well, but not sure how well that will work since we had v. late dinner & drinks after last night's concert. Still gorgeous weather to entice me out . . .
and v. happy to see you back writing, even after the holiday's over.
Thanks Frances...and note I even posted a list of some tunes I'm currently shuffling through on my iPod. I have a two hour this week....so not so bad...but next week I have a three and a half hour and I already signed up for the coho run which is 14 km. I will probably try to run two hours before the race starts at 9 then finish on the course....that will be a doozy.
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