These Legs Will Carry Me Far

The run was supposed to be 6. But it turned into 10. I wanted to see the other side of the lake. Truth be told I wasn't even feeling like 10 when this all started. "Just 6." My mind kept saying as I moved along the trail. "Maybe even 4. 4 is good too. And very even. Plus less than 6." My mind speaks in simple sentences while running to conserve energy I've found. But then I started the first fartlek and everything changed.

Things normally change for me when I can feel the sense of speed in my legs. Plus I had on the Nike 3.0's. I love these shoes. My feet love these shoes. Ever since I took a flyer and decided to try them I've experienced a rejuvenation in my running. I think it is because there is nothing in these shoes to keep me from running the way I was meant to run. And so it was with that first fartlek, up on my stride, powering through the back side, gobbling up ground left and right, right and left. It was great.

That's when it happened. The single, clear thought crept into my mind and changed the duration and tenor of my workout. "Let's run to the dam!" Before I knew it my legs were complying. But a part of me was concerned. Now I was running 10 miles and not 6. I was still fartleking my way around the lake so there were bouts of intensity interspersed with a few decent hills. Of course I had taken Riverside east which meant running UP to I-35. And of course that sweet hill just past Joe's was right in the middle of one of the up tempo intervals. Great. But the view was worth it.

I've always thought the trail east of I-35 was the more attractive part of Town Lake. But not many folks run there so, when you are on that side, it is as though you have a personal audience with the lake and your own breath. Soul time really. When I raced before, I timed my runs around the lake so that the sun would begin to set or rise as I crossed the bridge giving me just enough time to make it back to my car before dark. Yesterday, I was just lucky. I don't think I will ever tire of seeing the sunlight reflected by the water sparkling like diamonds floating on glass.