Twice as large as it needs to be ...

Glass and liquid quandary
(Courtesy kalyan02 @ Flickr)

The argument has been raging for centuries now: is the glass half full or half empty? Those with a positive outlook on life, see positive prospects and are sure the glass is half full. Those with a more cynical view counter with a conservative half-empty assertion. If all we're fussing over is a few ounces of water, just pour more into the glass already. But, of course, the quandary is more a philosophical or world view exposé than a puzzle to be solved. How do we view life's experiences? Through a prism that splays the colors of the rainbow or through jaundiced eyes? OK. I don't want to wax too philosophical in this post. I just want to reflect on the timelapserunner's experience this past Thursday morning.

Alarm 1 is for the timelapserunner

The timelapserunner headed for bed just a bit later than usual Wednesday evening. He'd been following the day's events surrounding the damaged tanker trunk carrying isobutane. Baton Rouge traffic had been an absolute nightmare that Wednesday - with commutes to work for some folk taking two hours instead of the usual twenty minutes. After waiting up for the news and hearing that a controlled release and burn was planned for later that night, he finally headed to bed. But not for an easy night's sleep.

Somehow, the timelapserunner had slightly pulled a neck muscle earlier in the day and that would keep him from getting restful sleep. Refusing to take anything for the pain, he just hoped he'd doze off and be fine. Didn't happen. He tossed and turned, trying to locate a comfortable position that was nowhere to be found. At about 4:40AM, he awoke and remained in a semi-fitful state until the alarm (ALM1 in the picture) went off at 5:30AM.

Time to roll out of bed and get to Thursday's workout. What would turn out to be a rather hard workout, at a faster pace than any workout in the last two months. New aches would appear during the run: a light cramp in a different part of the left hamstring area, and in both groin muscles. No squirrels on the route today to distract the timelapserunner from the negatives of the workout experience.

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What you've just read is the glass half empty story. It's the truth, in the sense that it contains no lies about thoughts and feelings that went through my mind and body. But it's not the whole truth. It's only half of the truth.

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The alarm went off at 5:30AM, but the timelapserunner quickly turned it off so as to avoid rousing Mrs. timelapserunner. He laid there for a moment, trying to decide whether to get up or to sleep in a little longer. He knew he would get up, and get up he did - he would not miss an important Thursday workout. Waiting till much later, he would have forfeited the opportunity to catch the morning's coolest hour: 6AM to 7AM. He had already placed his running clothes in the kitchen, knowing that even this would facilitate making the right choice to get up and not sleep in. In just moments he was working his way through the Wharton active-isolated stretches that he does before heading to the Lakes for the 4-miler.

Halfway down Highland Road he noticed that there was a police car behind him. Having noticed this, he would be doubly sure to maintain the 35 MPH speed limit that covers that stretch of road. (Thanks, Guardian Angel.) He arrived at the Lakes, warmed up during the first half mile, then endeavored to meet the brisk 11:08 per mile average pace scheduled for this nice, unseasonably cool August morning. Though his pace varied, he began to get the feel of the 9:49 per mile clip. At that pace he actually felt more like he was running than just jogging that morning. The timelapserunner looked and felt more like a runner that morning, too.

The new little hamstring tweak drew his attention to his stride and he endeavored to keep it fluid and easy. Soon that tweak disappeared. Even the groin muscle tweaks came and then went. There's something magically interesting about feeling a new ache - you get to listen to your body. And there was no real fear there of the "wheels coming off" ... just a sense of listening and paying attention.

The timelapserunner had the opportunity to say "Good morning" to at least 20 or more runners and walkers, some of whom he now recognizes as regulars - though he has no idea who they are. The run finished, he sat in the car to return home - legs feeling fine. After a warm shower, he enjoyed his Cheerios, blackberries, banana, milk, and Atkins protein shake before heading off to school.

It was a very good morning workout. Very good, indeed.

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The half full story, that was. If you get to choose your story, choose a good one. I choose this last story over the first.

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BTW: We've seen that some say the glass is half full, some say the glass is half empty. Engineers say the the glass is simply twice as large as it needs to be to hold the water. A clear case of over-design.

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WEEK 8 SCHEDULE:

Bump it up! This week's schedule calls for another upward tick in the long run distance. Perhaps just as exciting is the fact that Saturday is the first LSU football game. Woot! We'll have to make sure that our route takes us through campus so we can get an early look at how the crowd is shaping up.

OMG! Do I see a 9-miler on that schedule?!!

FRIDAY'S WORKOUT: Three miler at 15:58 walking pace. Uneventful, other than laying in bed just a few minutes longer before deciding to get up. (Sound familiar?)

SATURDAY'S WORKOUT: A 4-miler round the lakes. Designed pace was 14:35, actual pace was 13:59 using 0:30 / 0:39 intervals withe nominal running (aka jogging) pace at 13:05. Pretty decent, easy workout ... a little chatter on the left side (i.e., groin, ham), but nothing significant.