Running Journal, Friday, 2006-07-21

Running Journal, Friday, 2006-07-21
Resting heart rate: not available (forgot)
Weather: overcast, then sunny; 41% humidity
Temp: 30 C (86 F)
Time: 09:00-09:50
Terrain: mostly flat, mild hills
Comments: In the middle of a summer Sacramento heat wave. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory, which is issued when the temperature is 40.5+ C (105+ F) during the day and 26.7+ C (80+ F) during the night for two consecutive days. Yow. Today is the first day we've had 40%+ humidity and I felt it. Practiced landing on the heels of my foot today as I strode, and I felt muscles getting worked that I haven't felt before. It felt good to do this, given my recent history of my left toe hurting (I think my left foot is slightly longer than my right, so shoes are a bit tight). I found a frisbee in the grass at the parking lot on the south side of the pedestrian bridge. I said hello or good morning to a number of people today as I passed but people seemed focused on their own running. I started out in a relaxed, slow, comfortable stride and kept my focus far down the trail, and I enjoyed the sensation of losing myself and being in the moment without much other thoughts in my head. I am working on my form and found today that my arms felt a bit tingly, meaning I was a bit too tense in the upper body. Turned at the half-way point and ran the parallel trail back, briefly on the private trail of the residential community. The yellow thistle plants are everywhere and in full bloom. They leave me very itchy if I'm unlucky enough to scratch myself. As I ran back and watched the river to my right, I felt happy to have the opportunity to run there. The slow-flowing, low water of the river reflecting the bright sun looked so peaceful it seemed to have human qualities of laziness. It seemed to be experiencing the same reaction to the brilliant summer sunlight as the people running along the trail. So there was a sense of connection to the river this morning based entirely upon personifying it with human qualities. After I reached the parking lot on the south side of the river, I picked up the frisbee, when an asian man flagged me down and asked me for the name of the park. He described how someone had smashed three vehicle windows earlier that morning, and when he reported it, the person he talked to requested the location. So I shared with him the info he needed, and he thanked me and went on his way. As I walked back across the pedestrian bridge, I said hello to a biker who sat on the planks relaxing and watched a woman and a yellow lab play fetch in the water below. Fun. My red RaceReady singlet clung to my chest from the humidity, something that has only happened one other time, during Grandma's Marathon. I felt great, limber, and attributed that to running on my heels. I'll give it a try on my long run this Sunday, my last long run before the marathon.
Time: 50 minutes
Goal Time: n/a
Distance: 6.45 km (4 mi)
Total Distance For Year: 400 miles + (lost count)
Weight (after run): 80.2 kg (176.8 lbs), with clothes
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: none
Foods eaten today: Powerbar, Safeway frosted mini wheats in soy milk