Day Twenty Seven & Twenty Eight: My Run Is All I Have To Give!

Well it seems over the past few days that I am finally getting over my cold.  While deep down inside i blame SLOW people, i feel that this is another test along the way in my quest for Olympic Greatness.  Although I am sure that most people would try to use a "sickness" as an excuse for losing.  me, no!  In fact, yesterday, I ran 32 X 400 on the 2:00.  This gave me 1:00 rest between each interval...  Even though i coughed what i thought were my left and right kidneys along the way, i felt that this was the only way to beat sickness was to look it dead in the face.  With each breath growing stronger, i could feel mucus accumulating in my lungs.  This was a good thing as I would not want mucus to accumulate in my nose or nasal passages and its about damn time my lungs do something. 

Last night, approximately 5 hours after my track workout, i went for a little 7 mile run at a dec (Deese) clip.  I wanted inspiration. I wanted to feel like i was coming back.  I wanted glory.  So i converted my Backstreet Boys "Millenium" album into MP3s.  wow!  What a rush.. With each step, i could feel those feelings that i had back in my glory days.  Back when i used to be king of the track and was able to go on dates with ladies and stuff...But now aint nothing but a heartache, nothing is a mistake....I dedicated each mile of the run to each member of the Backstreet Boys, with the exception being miles 6 & 7, which were given to Howie & Brian, whom i related to the most, and therefore, were most deserving of two miles each.  For the AJ mile, i decided to age grade at a 90% and run a 4:25.... After all, he was the crazy one!  The song which came on was "I want it that way".....  So I ran my ass off and sang out loud.  I must have been a good singer because soon after i started, every dog and cat in the neighborhood started making noises and singing along with me. 

Mile 2 was dedicated to Howie so i ran it at a 5:25 clip and with style.  Every corner i would do a two step... I would keep running.  The goal of this mile was to quit playing games from the start and just live my life...  The only problem came when i hit a corner, tried to twostep and ended up sliding into a lamp pole which in turn flipped me in the air causing a 180 degree of difficulty belly flop on the ground.  However, with the backstreet boys music going on, i knew that i was too strong to let the old lady snickering get to me so i picked it up and finished the mile. 

Mile 3 was all about Brian.  So i hit that one at a 5:00 clip but made sure to put on a love making face for all of the ladies i ran past..  I found one lil beauty in the parking lot of a Jewel Osco.  I don't think she noticed my "o" face so i decided to run circles around her... Well now i got her attention, because she pulled what appeared to be some sort of spray out of her pocket.  So i paused the garmin and decided to serenade her like Brian would.... I began by serenading her with a lil "Larger than Life" and before i could hit the chorus i heard a spray sound and soon was crying on the ground with the most burning feeling going on  in my eyes.  I asked "Why?  Why would you do this?" to which i heard nothing but running footsteps as a reply.  I gathered myself and decided to continue my run....

Now that i was covered in pepper spray and a mess emotionally, i knew that mile 4 had to be all bout Nick..  So of course, i got all up angry in my face and decided to take it out at a 4:54 pace..  I thought about everything that ever bothered me in my life and just ran it out of my system.  I hit the half at about a 4:30 pace when i just had to pause my watch and bend down and cry.  I don't know if it was "My Love is All I HAve to Give" or what.. but the way Nick hits that solo is just absolutely amazing....  It made me think of the girl I am really in love with.. If she can get FAST enough, i would give her nothing but my love as it is literally ALL that i have to give..  Literally!  I sold all my possessions to buy more Saucony brand running shoes and apparel because nothing makes a run better than wearing Saucony and showing other people that you wear Saucony brand running gear because that drives a lot of respect.... I also have no money because my sponsorship isn't paying the bills... Anyways, i got all of my tears out of the way and proceeded to...

Mile Five was all about Kevin, the mysterious one.  So since it was a mysterious mile, i decided to do a little fartlek in dedication to him.  A good fartlek consists of inserting sprints in your run (which should already age grade at 85% minimal) so that you can step in front of SLOW people and fart on them... I noticed that there were some more of those damn runners who wear orange so i made sure to sneak up on them (NO yelling Track).. "Hi Matt" i heard one call to which i replied with a fart... and then sprinted off..  That is what Kevin would do.... I was able to finish this mile in about 5:30..

Miles six and seven were just repeats.. I finished the run in about 34 minutews which was ok timing, but the experience was one that i'll never forget.  Wow!  A rekindled love i developed for that girl and a fresh energy produced from the Backstreet Boys.  If any of you SLOW people have the chance, you should totally pick up the album.  it is around 10 years old and a classic.  Whether you are running, making love to a partner or yourself, or just sitting in your mom's studio apartment watching "Yes Dear" reruns, this is THE album for you!

Today was just a 20 mile run... but nothing compared to that magic!