We’re heading to the Coal Creek Trail in Louisville due to the snow and ice from the previous two days. The Coal Creek Trail is gravel and has very moderate ups and downs. It can be accessed from a variety of places in Louisville and Lafayette, and can be whatever distance you’re looking for because it’s always an out-and-back. In other words– boring.
The meeting place is the old Louisville Post Office on Front Street and Pine. It’s almost a mile from my house; I leave ten minutes early and keep my pace at a super-easy 9:26 pace. This is pure warm-up to the P.O. and I don’t want to get too warm.
Susan is running down from her house too, and the rest of the group is gathering on the side street. Cherry is back after being at the Arizona Ironman two weeks ago and her subsequent recovery from a head cold. Zina is bouncing around in the cold and Bernadette looks cold in her Capri’s and sneakers with the no-show socks.
Over half the women in the group have never been on this trail, so they’re pleased about the prospect of a new run. I’ve run this trail so many times in the past two years that all novelty is lost to me. Not sure how many more times I’ll tolerate it either; today’s run is only due to the group and I wouldn’t be here otherwise. Caryn, Rita, Savannah, Mary and A.J. are looking forward to this run. I mention to Mary that I’ve run this trail so many times I’ve lost count, and can point out every single turn-around point I’ve ever done. “This one is where I turn around for a five-miler, this is the five and a half point, this is the six mile point…” and so on. She astutely sums it up to perspective; this trail is not exciting to me because I’ve run it ad nauseum; yet to many others it’s a nice change from the severe trail runs we usually do.
We jump onto the trail across from the Community Park. The snow is about an inch deep and packed in most places. There’s a little ice here and there, but no mud and nothing deep that prevents a good long run. In previous winters I’ve had to turn around at certain sections because of the ice or deep snow that becomes treacherous for a slight person and unadorned feet (read: no Yaktrax).
Cherry and I settle into a pace. I tell her about my new part-time job with 5430 Sports. She’s familiar with the organization and in fact encouraged me to contact them. She listens to me describe the two distinct aspects of the job (expo sales, sustainability development and consulting) and agrees that the latter will be my passion. She knows me and the owners of 5430 Sports; from her perspective, this will be a good working partnership.
Cherry detours to the trees for a pee-break and Mary joins me as a running partner. I’ve never talked with her during a run before; she’s usually in the middle section of the group while I’m out in the lead. Today I’m more interested in holding pace for a long run instead of using this as a tempo training run, which is what the trail runs usually morph into for this amateur athlete. I see the run and the group members in a different light when I’m not trying to squeeze in a tempo run or concentrate on how far and fast I can physically push my body while still having energy to get through the rest of the day.
Bernadette, Susan and A.J. are waiting at the turn-around. Bernadette is messing with her socks which have inched their way down her foot and are now solidly stuck under the heel of her foot. I can’t imagine not wearing the right socks for the right activity and look at her in disbelief as she flatly refuses our attempts to talk her into wearing ankle socks. She likes what she likes and won’t be talked into doing things differently, even though she sees that those of us wearing socks that cover the entire foot aren’t stopping after three miles to unroll the material and put it back in place.
The group has mostly assembled at the turn-around, so we head back. Cherry has caught up with the group after her impromptu trip into the trees, and is smiling as she ducks to the side again. “I’m just glad to be out running again,” she says to me as we start down the trail.
The conversation turns to the Arizona Ironman. She was there with her husband, Mark, who works for Ironman. Clare was there cheering on a friend, and Barry, my new boss, was there participating while his wife, Jodee, cheered him on. Clare is pumped to do another Ironman after being a spectator this year. Apparently she’s trying to talk Cherry into doing it with her. “Nope, don’t have any interest in doing another Ironman,” Cherry declares. “I like how my body feels when I’m exercising a certain amount and I don’t need to push it farther than that.”
She has the benefit of being able to look at a race like the Ironman from multiple angles. She’s been a competitive racer in her “younger days”, she’s helped set up many races, and she’s been there to cheer on friends and help them train. Her perspective is based on a lot of information and is firmly based in doing what is right for her body.
I’m thinking about doing a half-marathon in March. Susan mentioned it to me a few months ago and I’ve had the idea tucked away ever since. I’d like to do a half, as the farthest I’ve raced is a 10K. I’m sure I could do it; thirteen miles doesn’t seem insurmountable. Cherry does a “runner’s blow” to the side of the trail and gives me another dose of reality. “You talk about doing a half marathon like it’s feasible, and I’m sitting here thinking that it sounds about as far away as the moon. I’ve been sick and haven’t done anything in two weeks. What you can accomplish has everything to do with attitude and perspective.”
Ain’t that the God’s honest truth. There have been points in my life when I didn’t think I could get out of bed; to do that was the high point in my day. On the flip side, there have been times in my life when I ran up mountains and lived to tell the story. Everything I do is couched with perspective on where I’ve been and where I’m at right now, this very minute. And attitude? A good attitude is that little thing that makes it all worth doing, over and over again.
