Running in Indy...

Indianapolis is a not a bad place for a business trip. Of course, it is made better when a little research is done and a good place to run is found in the heart of the city; I happened to find just that. Not far from downtown is the IUPUI campus with the Indianapolis Zoo directly across the river. Right next to the campus is a pathway that runs close to the river. I was able to find an approximate five mile route and there were a few things that I remember in particular about my two runs.

On my first run, I was just trying to navigate the course and make sure I did not get lost. The lost part was mostly on the way out, but on the way back I was rewarded with an exceptional view of downtown in the early morning. The vantage point that seemed to have the best view was near a place called West Side Bait & Tackle.* The other thing I remember from this run is that staying on that side of the river and trying to run between the river and the Indy Zoo is not a good idea. I kept going and eventually found that the trail was no longer lit and there was a closed gate in the way.** The most unnerving part though was the mephitic smell of animal urine. I took these many cues as a hint that I should not be there and promptly turned around to cross the closest bridge and went directly back to the hotel.

The second run was along the same route, but this time it was raining a little and I took my time to venture away from the first running route. This new area was a display of outdoor art work. The first thing was a mini power-line structures and then was a Chinese take-out box that was five feet tall. Both were oddly sized in comparison to their normal size. Next, was a scoop truck model that was put on it's back end with the scoop pointing in the air and last was a small metal structure called the "Bridge of Friendship." The plaque stated it was for two people to sit upon facing opposite directions, therefore, to gain the intended vantage point I climbed the three foot structure and began to ponder my thoughts. After a few moments I remembered I was out for a run and got back to the hotel shortly thereafter.

Both runs served their purpose in adding mileage for marathon training, but it is easy see that the first one was awkward and just added to my training. Alternatively, the second run was easier and proved to provide insight that can be brought out by contemplating art in any form. I am not sure when I will be traveling for business again, but this experience was enough to convince me to make the extra effort to find a route instead of resigning to the hotel's treadmill.


*While writing this I did a search to ensure I had the correct title of the store and happened upon this video from inside the store starring "Fat Boy Dan" a self proclaimed redneck fisherman. Admittedly, I did not watch the whole thing.

**Apparently, just because a route appears passable on www.mapmyrun.com doesn't mean that it is in fact passable.

Lessons learned...

Today's running was all about lessons for me.

1. I forgot how much fun it is to run in the rain.
2. 16 miles is doable, even in the rain.
   
3. Running early in the morning means you will see more runners with your same goal in mind.
4. There really is no substitute for properly fueling and hydrating during a run.

I got up this morning and saw that it was raining outside, which, prompted me to check the weather map and discern that it would continue. This left me with a choice, and as I started thinking about it I started remembering how I used to have fun and enjoy running in the rain. Eventually, after eating something and crawling back in bed for a minute of contemplation, I slipped into my gear and headed out the door. I was first greeted with the rain and when I got to the trail I thought I started seeing things. What could they be, but yes other runners braving the elements much like me. Personally, I find it encouraging when I see other runners on the trail because we both have the same goal in mind. This happens more often on early Saturday mornings in the summer, when everyone is trying to get there long-runs in before it gets hot.

It was nice to get my 16 miles in before it got hot, but today was a particularly "do or die" day for me. Last week I ran 14 miles and when I got home I was completely spent. At one point I was laying on the kitchen floor hoping I would begin to feel better, but this time I had a plan. We got some goo packets last night at the store, and I envisioned that they would help me make it through the run. My plan was to take one every 4o minutes with water. I stuck to this plan while stopping at most every water fountain along the way, and by the time I got home I was tired, but not spent like last week. As most runners know, just because it is raining doesn't mean you don't need to drink water. I could definitely tell this because the entire time I was running it was raining and I was drenched in water, but at the same time I was still sweating, as I could taste the salt.

Gladly, I was able to finish my long run and not be spent, but I did not notice that I ran quite a bit slower than last weekend. I am mostly blaming this on two things. One, the rain increased my overall weight and that slowed me down. Two, I had to make a stop in the port-a-potty. Overall, it was a great run that reminded me of why I really enjoy running.