Comeback kid

Okay, long story short, I have been guilted into making yet another post.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL1uFjSbvnA


That being said, "Update."



As it's late, I refuse to say how late it actually was, let's just say... ' it's late.' Regardless, I'm back to running. Here I am, enclosed in a rather large building that contained the turf indoor football field, as I glide along. As I'm chopping along, a little heavy breathing from being a bit out of shape, a small, yet still noticeable twitch in my running stride, sweat continuing to build, as I 'only' sported yellow running shorts (I know right?! ;), as I continued to stide along. As my bare feet stuck the turf, "digging" into the mounded up rubber, topped with a layer of synthetic grass, and the simple "BEEP BEEP BEEP'ing" sound of my watch, my stride opened up as I transgress into a more uptempo pace. Hardly back to my old form, metaphorically, and to some extent, litterally, I'm not bothered by being 'fat'.

Background music: please right click and add into an extra tab! thank you and have a nice day! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb0Y7WKETbs


"BEEP BEEP BEEP," as I now regress back to my short and choppier stride, to which, I obviously slowed it back down. I am doing what is known to runners as a "Fartlek." Simply because it is easy on my hip flexor, because I don't have to stop and start repeatedly like I do in intervals. Today's fartlek was relatively simple, 14x60 seconds at an uptempo pace, and a 60 second jog in-between. Hardly anything like what I used to do, it was a start.


I probably should start from the first day of practice, to let you know my current mindset, rather than let you 'guesstimate' how i felt. So, as the first day, to which is also known as, "Gear day"... a.k.a. "Christmas for us runners in college," thousands of dollars of gear is given out to each runner/person, some specifically made from Nike given to the OU runners. As I gather up all my gear, I realize something's missing...Cross country spikes.



As I mention it, as well as a few other guys missing 'this or that,' they say, "What model of spikes do you want? We'll order them now."



"Actually, it doesn't matter, I won't be racing till indoor..." nor was I running at that current time. Due to injury, I was unbothered, so I acted at the time. Ironically, that same day, an old friend called, that was also in the Big 12 conference meet, and was asking when they were going to be able to see me. As they knew about my current situation, intially thinking they would not see me, "Wait a minute!... You're going to come 'watch' Big 12's right?!" A bit, "Oh ya, I'm not going to be able run it" thought crosess my mind, as I chime back, "No way I'm missing that!"

As a week or so passes, and by the grace of god... AND the 'fun' therapy I mentioned in my last post... I was able to get back into running.



A couple weeks later, and trying to make... what I'd like to call a comeback, and my hopes that were intially thoughts of only failure, turned into hopes of "what if's."



As the 10th repition of my uptempo fartlek workout comes about, my breathing picks up, as does my stride. As the janitor comes onto the indoor turf field through the doors, in which, were combined with the complex... I darted by him unphased as he spoke up, "Hey buddy! As usual... make sure the doors are locked when you're heading out, no rush though!"



As I gathered myself and the energy required, I yelled back, "Ya, no problem!.... Preciate it!" This was now becoming a routine from the past 9 days of running.

As I see through the clear doors, the lights are now all turned out from all directions, as the dim lights from the indoor football field are the only thing guiding me along, step after step, minute after minute, lap after lap, I pushed forward. As this continued, I forgot how good it felt to hurt. Odd... I know. Whether it's an addition to pain, or a simple love of knowing that I'm doing "something" with my current day to day life to which, I'd like to say I'm moving forward in, regardless, I was comforted by hurting.



As I am now in the cooldown phase, trotting a couple miles to shake out the junk from the uptempo workout, well... 'That felt good.' Not only did I think that, I litterally said that out loud, and "Yes," I will remind you, I was by myself. And Yes, I know... I'm too cool sometimes.



As I now relax my thoughts, and drop the intense mindset that accompanies every good runner during a workout, I think of my current day. Well, heck... I'll tell you! As I awake that morning, at a ridiculous early time of 11 a.m. I make my way through my daily errands. First getting back to all the jackass'... I mean, "friends" that texted me so freaking early, "Caleb, I'm talking about you." SERIOUSLY YOU TEXTED ME AT 9 A.M., TO TELL ME YOU TALKED TO A GIRL?... AND SHE WAS ONLY A 7?!"..... "AND NO," I won't forget about you Nicole, who has to tell me, "She has shin splints and needs my advice"... Nicole, you're a freaking doctor, literally. I am a punk ass kid who makes straight C's in college. Do you really want my advice?!


Let's not forget Sara, who tells me happy birthday, let's just say, "Sara's not all there... bless her heart..."



DAMN IT!!!



Okay, I was just joking about that... perhaps.



As I walk over to the training room to do drills, I now have a new friend. A trainer... to which, I tell her all the team gossip... "ALL OF IT." As her eyes light up, wondering what soap opera related stuff happened within the past day, she shares her thoughts... after she hears everything she wants. "Ya Clay, if you really like K.W.'s mom, and seeing how she made a pass at you... You should go for it!"... "Also, (name) they'll come around!"



Well thanks, "trainer's name."



As the day passes, and dinner comes about, I enter the cafe, which is dominated by a lot of athletes. I hand the cashier my money, and with the non-chalant words in addition, "Here's my drug money"... A bit baffled, and odd stares from random people that were lined up behind me.... "Drug money?!" As I just smile and walk on, I proceeded to stuff my 'fat face' in every dessert that is offered... cookies, cake, and my favorite meal, salad... KIDDING! My favorite meal is actually, raw sugar.... YOU THINK I'M KIDDING?! I'm not.



As 6:15 rolls around, I make my way over to the track, I have a group of 4 kids I legitimately help coach... for free. As a few teammates/friends come to join/watch, I give instructions on what today's workout is, and all runners nod their head and start their routine warm-up. As this was the 3rd workout on Monday, a friend paid half attention to the runners I have been coaching and pipes up... "Who's the 5th guy? I don't remember him from the past two weeks." My response, "Beats me... randoms just show up... and usually stay too."



A little bit later, one kid chimes in, "What mile pace, is a 5 minute mile"... As I chime back, "Well, let's see here... a 5 minute mile pace... is well, 5 minute mile pace." The kid nods his head... "Oh okay!"... Then proceeds to ask, "What mile pace is a 10 minute 2 mile?" As I don't answer and blankly stare into the sky, and talk to myself, which, as you should know by know, was out loud.... "I don't get paid enough to do this." One of my kids who is still running around the track for their warmup, runs by as he hears this, "HA, that's funny, because you don't get paid at all to do this!", and... my butt is slapped. Thoughts, "Dear Jesus, how did I end up in the situation... Sincerely, your loyal friend....-clay." Personally, I just wanted to be in a gang, and do 'stuff', and then do more 'stuff'. But no, I wanted to be a good samaritan? Who knows.


Workout done, and calculating the response the kids had from the 1st workout to the current one, "Yep, looks like they're all responding nicely!"



Then, the current activities of the evening take place, activites end, run, and now I sit here writing this....

Night y'all!


And here's your vids, you vultures: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kZ9YfB9Q3U


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A2moFdM1Yo


-clay j mayes the 3rd