Men are wired to see reward before risk. This phenomenon has been proven by our stupid stunts, bar fighting, STDing, and even investing. I made my own contribution to the list this week. The following is the internal dialogue immediately preceding my decision to go inline skating on Friday:
Rational Jason: “Maybe this is a bad idea, you could break your arm right before Kenya.”
Idiot Jason: “Man, don’t be such a dink, you’ve done this 500 times before.”
Rational Jason: “Yeah, but only once in the last five years. But maybe it’s ok, if we go slow, and we wear a helmet and pads.”
Idiot Jason: “Man, you’re one of those bubble-wrapped jerks we make fun of. Just buckle up and go.”
Rational Jason: “Yeah, I see your point. Let’s effin’ give’r”
Idiot Jason: “Sweet. You’ll thank me later.”
As you can tell, Rational Jason is just a figment of Idiot Jason’s imagination.
The first 15k of my skate was actually really good. On my way home, however, a dog bolted from its owner, sprinting at full speed toward me and barking like mad. Thoroughly terrified, I neutralized the threat by slamming myself into the ground, hip and elbow first. Claiming victory, the dog returned dutifully to its owner. Phew. Dazed and confused I slowly got up and scanned for injuries. My right hip was really sore and my elbow was bloodied. But I was able to do an easy 12k immediately afterward so all is good.
The next time I do “airplane pose” will hopefully be in a jet. My journey to Kenya on Sunday starts with a 9 hour flight to Amsterdam, a 3 hour layover, and then an 8 hour flight to Nairobi. Tuesday morning I take a short flight to Eldoret. Finally, I take a short bus ride to Iten: Home of Champions. Then I run 1,000 kilometers.
I hope future entries will have some good photos, but it will depend on the speed of the internet connection at the HATC. Stay tuned!
Running for the week ending June 7 (total = 76k):
- Monday: 10k
- Easing back into some tempo running with 3k@3:52/k, 1:30 jog, 3.5k@3:51/k
- Running drills (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_HKaTPD7ZE)
- Tuesday: 11k easy
- MYRTL drills (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GLrKr54yA0)
- Wednesday: 13k trail running with Alan (Moose Mountain)
- Thursday: 18k with lots of hills (4:20-4:25 pace on the flat parts)
- Friday:12k easy
- Saturday: 12k
- 3.4k@3:45k, 2:00 jog, 3.4k @ 3:41/k
- Running drills (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_HKaTPD7ZE)
- Sunday: None