Suburban Running versus City Running

I'm visiting my Dad and Step-Mom this weekend (and maybe longer) to watch over things and make sure that he recovers okay after a big, medical emergency. Luckily, he's okay but needs to change some things in his life. That's another story.

So today I went for a run. It's been a while, but I felt good and I have alot of things on my mind. Running seems to help sort things out and definitely helps to get rid of stress so that I can think things through with a clear head.

A few observations...

1. Running in the suburbs is way different than city running. For one, the air 'tastes' different. It's sweeter. Fresher. Better.

2. There are not as many people running out in the suburbs, so when you do pass a runner, people in the suburbs tend to be friendlier and say hello. (Apologies to the presumably Irish man on the West Side, who greeted SLG and I, saying, "Top o' the morning to you!" Obviously, not from the city.)

3. No dog poop to contend with in the suburbs. Although there are alot of acorns.

4. I didn't really have a set route when I started my run in the morning. There are so many options and turns that I ended up running alot longer than I ever have before. I ran for an hour-and-a-half, and thanks to mapmyrun.com, the run was about 7.3 miles. !!! After I got my bagel from Dunkin Donuts (not as many options in the suburbs as there are in the city), I walked home from there, so the total route ended up being 8.45 miles.

5. I definitely felt the longer run. I would take breaks when I would feel a strain in my heart, and around the 6 to 7 mile mark, I started thinking, "When will this run be over?" I had intended on running all the way back to my Dad's house, but at the 7 mile mark, my feet started hurting, and I was started to feel aches and pains in my body. I decided to listen to my body, and decided my run was over at that point. Hence, the bagel, and the walk back to my Dad's house from that point. Still, a successful run.

6. I now have an idea of how I would feel for a half-marathon. I think I might need better running shoes, or at least think about my feet somehow. Maybe I didn't put on the socks the right way? I dunno. But I got to change something. I had on my running socks (nylon, poly, spandex blend), but they felt tight after a while. Maybe more stretching? Maybe bring some gels or something? At the six mile mark, I started feeling very hungry and thirsty, and couldn't wait to eat. Hmmm...

7. While it was good to run and clear my head, and think about some big decisions in my life, I definitely missed my buddy and running buddy, SLG. At the start, I was thinking I was starting out too fast, and thought SLG would have paced us better. When I took breaks, it would have been to talk out some things or just pass the time with friendly convo with SLG!

A good run, overall. I'm quite pleased with the experience, and can build on it as I think about doing half-marathons. I actually thought I might have run longer because of the time, so I gotta think about the pace. However, a good start.

I really like running! I feel healthy, and I feel like my health is getting better. I feel like I have an active lifestyle, and I don't lose my breath when I take stairs or need to run for a bus or something. I feel in shape, and I feel really good about myself. My clothes fit differently, and I need a new wardrobe. Clothes that never used to fit, now fit great. Clothes that I used to wear, now are too loose, and don't look good on me. I tried wearing my brother's jeans the other day, and I actually could fit in them without straining to buckle. My brother has a lighter frame than I do, as I am pigeon-chested. The fact that I could even think about fitting in my bro's jeans is an amazing thing. People at work notice, and my family has even noticed. All in all, it feels pretty darn good. Run run run!

Running Giraffes, unite!