I was on Monday night at Foothill College’s track — the closest running location with lights — trying to do a sort of workout. Can’t believe how difficult it was. I was tired, legs aching, nothing worked out. I ended up running a couple of 80 sec 400 meters… which were supposed to be 2Ks or miles. I kinda felt completely gassed out after 300 meters in each try.
Okay, head to SFO and into Taiwan for three intensive business days. Just two 10 minute morning sessions on tread mill. Return tonight, Friday, meaning less than 100 hrs trip of which more than 24 hrs on the plane… On the way home driving 280 in the dark I kinda feel energized. Got a good sleep on the board China Airlines. Bone plays one Zep tune after another. Nikki Blakk freaks in and I make the decision. Pull out at El Monte exit and here we go again!
Change to shorts, check the places. Empty field. Bit chilly but bright, calm, Bay Area night, such a difference to the humid Taipei under smog. Here you can breathe, run as fast as you can. Main lights are out but it doesn’t matter. There’s enough to light up the track so I can see the seconds go on my stopwatch. Couple warm-up laps go fast, feels like sub 90 secs, easy. So easy. What should I do? Okay, let’s try 12 minutes tempo, the infamous cooper. And off we go. After a few laps I get the reminder I’m not in top shape, can’t just fly this out, although I have to say running feels good. Without much extra effort pretty much the same as the previous one, just a couple steps short of 3600m the watch beeps. Feels good. As an afterthought I could’ve probably done another one within 5 minutes. For the next time… now I gotta rush home to pack for the family mountain retreat.