Pacing Myself

"Pacing myself."   That's a phrase loaded with meaning for a runner.

• To set or regulate the rate of speed for (a race or a competitor in a race).
• To lead (one's team or teammates) with a good performance: paced her team to a victory with 18 points.
• To advance or develop (something) for a particular purpose or at a particular rate: paced the lectures so as not to overwhelm the students.

It is an especially apt phrase for an out-of-shape runner like me.  A couple of years ago, my friend Morris told a young runner he was tutoring to run easy on a particular day after a hard run.  "You know," he said.  "Richard Pace."  That brought some laughter, and the phrase has been the subject of the usual banter since then, but I did not take it as an insult at all; in fact, I like to insist now that I always run Richard Pace, whether it means slow persistent non-stop pulls to the top of Big Bearpen, intervals sessions, or those easy long runs on Saturday, lengthened even more by frequent walking breaks. 

And that is what I need to do now.  I will run some hills, and some faster-paced workouts, but mostly I will build that slow, gradual mileage that is the foundation for a season of running and racing.  Last Saturday I intended to complete as many miles as I could, and it was not pretty starting out; two days of yard work seemed to have left weights strapped to my ankles.  But after a few miles I felt better, and even better, and I finally completed eight miles, feeling that I could have gone two more but knowing that it is best not to push too much during this recovery period.  My goal for next Saturday is ten miles.

And it is a beautiful time to run in Highlands!  Around every corner, rhododendron is exploding, shy blue irises are hiding in the tall roadside grass, the fragrance of fresh-cut grass is everywhere, and temperatures are still cool enough in the mornings to thoroughly enjoy.  Traffic won't become really heavy until Memorial Day, too, so an occasional run right up the middle of Main Street, as I did this morning at the end of a six-mile run, is still possible.  There is no place like Highlands in which to live and run!