I am inspired

...by Beast, who got out and ran 10 miles this morning in this slushy shit.  And he did it BEFORE Prospect Park was plowed, making it a tough, wet, messy endeavor, which is all right when you're with the ladies, but ain't no fun for running.

One thing Beast wrote, in particular, guilted me into re-evaluating the roads and leaving the house at 2 p.m.  "...the slipperiness of today’s run got me thinking about the tenuousness at which anyone who pursues fitness and athleticism can find themselves easily start slipping back down the road to fitness."  I'm not sure he said what he thinks he wrote, but I think we all get the idea.  That word "tenuous" really got under my skin.  How tenuous am I if I let a little snowfall keep me from using a perfectly good day off to put in enough miles to finish the week up in the green?

That sonofabitch doesn't EVEN know how motivating he is to back-of-the-pack-ers like me.  I mean, this man not only has a full Ironman training schedule to keep up, but also a full-time job and taking care of his family.  If he can suck it up and get a run in, so can I.

And...I'm glad I went!

The run went well - not easy, but well.  I didn't slow to a walk for any reason except cars in Prospect Park who were ignoring pedestrian right-of-way (I hope both of them get flat tires).  Even when the coughing fits came - and there were fewer today than yesterday - I only slowed my pace to a slow jog.  I was able to get back up to long-run pace fairly quickly.  Hills sucked, I was gasping for air at the top of them, but at least I could continue.  

By the time I got to the park, my shoes were dirty and wet; by the time I got onto the plowed-clear main road, my toes were soaked with slush.  Bah.  Keep running.  I ran the reverse loop, as I was curious how many people were out running today; turns out a lot!  One guy was even out there doing a brick, I believe.  I got dumped on by the trees several times, wetting my sweatshirt.

I was warmer today, too.  I wore overgloves and added a t-shirt and it made all the difference.  I ended up stripping off the overgloves and the lack of wind helped, so that I was sweating nicely but not too overheated.  In short, despite the sloppy conditions, I was as comfortable as my lungs and legs would allow.  

I got back to my house an hour and twenty minutes after I left, which for a 6.8 mile loop is pretty good for me.  I still feel slow and loaded down, but there were some moments of greatness today and I am satisfied with the run and more than satisfied with my tenacity in achieving my weekly mileage goal.