Anyway, I came into some money that was given to me for my birthday. I looked at my money and looked at my wish list and saw a couple possibilities; most of them had to do with running. Weird. So, I did some research on several of the items on my list and found one that really stuck out. After letting it sit in my mind, I realized that not only did I want it....but needed it. And this is what I needed:
Yes, it is just a watch, but it is also not JUST a watch. It is the Garmin 110. Yes, I already have something that looks similar to this. Yes, I already have my Nike + SportBand that does many of the same things. But, this does it with accuracy! I needed that in my running life. If you don't understand this, talk with my wife. She will give you the details.
When I first got back into running, I lived at home after college and used to run around this half mile loop until I couldn't do it anymore. I didn't wear a watch, but only counted the number of times that I went around the loop and divided by two. (Oh, the easy days!) I entered my first post-collegiate race and came in second in my age group. Began wearing a watch around the loop. Got faster, but only a little bit. Got a new job in N. Alabama.
Moved to N. Alabama and ran to measured landmarks from the all boys camp that I worked at. I quit looking at my watch. Running in the mountains is so much different that in the Sunshine State. My only measuring tool where sore legs and the goal of, "Don't come in last because high school boys are not kind". 22 years old is ancient. I succeeded some times. Got a little faster, but only a little bit more. Got a new job in S. Alabama.
I moved to S. Alabama, quit running for a year. Decided that the bike was for me. I bought a $25 dollar road bike that weighed 1000 lbs. or felt like it. Road a lot. Loved it. Pretend I was on the USPS team and then Team Discovery. Entered a race. Died at mile 50 of a 62 mile ride. Rode harder. Went to the library and made some copies of training plans. Entered another race. Did better. Died at mile 60. Began reading bike magazines, watching the TdF, set my sights on a Trek, contemplated spandex.
Started my second year of teaching, got handed the reins of a varsity cross country team. Gave up the bike. Went back to the library, read all I could about coaching running. I ran in college, but coaching is not like getting coached. Started running again and realized that I had lost most of what I had gained. Put back on the watch and began training again. Set the same goal as I had at the boy's camp, "Don't come in last". I succeeded sometimes. Entered some more races. Did okay. My XC team did better. They made it to Region twice in two years and to State twice in two years. Got married, gained 30 lbs., slowed down a lot! Started running more and longer. Needed to. Had to. Stopped passing the Little Debbie aisle at the store.
Began a ritual that I brought my wife into. I would run all around Dothan and then get home and get my keys and my wife. We would drive down all the streets and places that I had run with the odometer on Trip B. It is also when Mel would kindly tell me that I really didn't need to be running down a certain street or in a certain area because I did not want to be selfish. I would change my route. I would take members of my XC team with me. They would let me know that we were running in the ghetto, but then I would let them know that we were on the street that I lived on. When we got back home from riding in the Jeep, I would measure this distance against my watch. Sometimes, I would be pleased and other times not. Did this for two years. Entered some more races. Did better, but still slower than I had when I lived in the Sunshine State and much slower than when I was at Mercer. Entered my first half marathon, finished, but got passed by an elderly man who passed me while jumping cones. I was just trying to not throw up. I made it to the car until that happened. Got very tired of Dothan and God graciously moved us somewhere else.
Moved to Macon. Began coaching JV XC and continued my own running. Got better. Saw glimpses of my own running self. Bought the Nike+ SportBand. Took my running to the Web. Entered more races. Did better. In May of this year, I beat my timed 5K race that I entered several months after I had graduated from college. Read more about running. Kept coaching. Runners took me to State three times in three years. Got up earlier and joined a running club and ran around the historic Triangle in Macon. Entered more races. Did a little better. Became obsessed about it all. Began caring about the difference between 3.10 miles and 3.11 miles.
Broke down and used my birthday money on a satellite that fits on my wrist. Hooked the GPS watch up to the computer and started a 4th place to log and track my runs and results. It looks like this and is awesome:
Found myself 6 days away from running my first marathon with so much anxiety that I could hardly run three miles without having a mental/physical/emotional breakdown. That was three days ago. Ran four the next day. It didn't get better. Ran 5 last night. Got a little better. Made myself a promise. After Saturday, I am taking off these gadgets at least once a week and just running like I used to in college and around the loop, but maybe more like I used to run around in elementary school around the playground. I ran because I loved it and because it felt good. Not because it was a goal or made my pants feel loose. I ran to feel free. That is the game plan after this Saturday and I guess I will still go with the same goal: Don't come in last!
Will tell you more about the awesome Garmin 110 later, didn't plan on this becoming a confessional, but I am sure Mel knew it would be!
David
3 Days Till Chickamauga!
I am praying you to the finish line!
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