Roger and Me (and Shaunmarie)

Well, my ONLY long-run running partner stepped up to the plate on Saturday. Shaunmarie and I set out on Saturday to run the long OMSI/Springwater Corridor/Westside Esplanade route. I think it's probably about 9 miles. She and Roger the poodle met me at OMSI.

The wind was nuts. It almost blew off my hat and I looked over at SM one time and she had tears streaming down her face. We both complained for about six minutes about hating the run and I actually questioned whether or not I would be able to finish. At the first mile marker I hit my watch to see how fast we were going. A half mile later I checked our time: 4:40. So I did some quick math and calculated that we were running about a 9:20 mile heading INTO the wind, so I told speed racer to knock it off and slow it down.

I was very nervous about running over the Sellwood Bridge. I totally refuse to drive over it. If I HAVE to drive over it, I make sure my window is down should the bridge collapse and I need to swim out the window. Before the run, Michael and I reviewed my plan if the bridge did collapse. I asked him if I should dive or go feet first. He seemed to think I was a goner either way, so it didn't matter. I decided to go in feet first and deal with the broken legs.

We made it over the bridge safe and sound. I was not happy that I couldn't see the Hawthorne Bridge, which made me realize how far we were from finishing. I had never run on the Westside trail, so that was good for me. It got pretty ugly and industrial over by the new stuff on the waterfront, but by that time, I didn't care because we were almost done.

As we were running over the Hawthorne, we saw a spraypainted message: "You are cool." I smiled a little. Then about three minutes later another message: "You are still cool." Damn right! SM and I finished in about an hour and twenty five minutes. The road was tough on my legs and feet but I felt great just the same. And the endorphins made me stupid again as I went the wrong way to get home.

I also ran yesterday and was pretty scared by the wind in the trees up at the trail. But I put in a good 35 minutes. Friday we're going to PA and I MUST run. In 20 degrees. Good times(TM).

And so help me God, I will put together a running group for 2008.