For what seems likes forever Linda, Butch's wife, has been wanting to join us but has been too intimidated (read as lazy to get out of bed) to run with us. Well, she finally mustered up the courage this week and guess what....she didn't die! Actually for someone who said just three months ago: "I don't run!", she did great.
The other newcomer was Karen, who was sent over by suggestion from Bill S. and Tom P., who both live nearby. Since her normal running partner couldn't make it she decided to meet up with us. Proving once again what a small world it really is, it turns out that I used to work with one of the ladies that she usually runs with too. Go figure!
After getting some introductions out of the way we took off on the bike path. The plan, according to Nate, was to head out to the dam and hit the twirly bird on the way back. Then he followed it up with the infamous statement: "But you've gotta be ready for anything along the way..." I haven't know Nate for a long time but I've known him long enough to know that we were in for it. As we exited the first section of trails, about 1-1.5 miles he called everyone out and we dropped for push-ups. Then it was up and over to the boat house where as soon he took the right and ran behind it I knew what was in store. It was two reps of hill sprints -- sprinting up the paved incline that runs up the side of the boat house and then jogging back down. At that point even some of us regulars were looking for a breather and I can only imagine what the newcomers were thinking. Instead, we got right back into the run taking the bike path over to a small incline running alongside of the power lines that cut through the park. Then we hooked a right turn and headed back into the trails until reaching the clearing which leads out to the dam. It was then that I decided to add to Nate's little game of torture and called out to Charlie who was pulling up the rear. He's run with us enough to know what that meant and so he sprinted up to the front of the line. When he reached the front the next person released and sprinted alongside to the front of the line. This continued until the leader when we started was back in front. By that time we had reached the dam and it was time to put in another pair of hill sprints. After a quick breather, it was time to head back by way of the twirly bird. In the end, we had ran about 6 or 7 miles plus all the "extras" on the way. A great workout to start the day!
Roll call: Bill Y., Butch, Charlie, Fred, Karen, Linda, Lisa, Nate, Sue
Linda said it was really just this photo op that made her come out and run.
(Front L to R : Lisa, Bill Y., Linda, Sue, Nate, Fred; Rear L to R: Charlie, Butch, Karen)
I'm glad to see that Karen made it out!
ReplyDeleteMissed running w/ the group, but hard to pass up a 5k at the shore, with free beer!