More Lessons Learned

Well, they say that you are never too old to learn and i am living proof of that since I am older than dirt and still learning something almost every day.

Last night I thought I was running in Montclair with a few other people I was wrong....MISTAKE #1...I was informed that one friend was doing the corporate Challenge tonight in NYC and had to pack for a weekend away in California so she could not run and the others apparently just bailed.

So what should I do...run alone in Montclair?...run alone somewhere else? try and find someone to join me at the 11th hour?? I decided I would run alone but in Ridgewood at the Duck Pond so when I finished I would be closer to home and in the words of a great philosopher...would create less stink in the car which can at times smell ? dirt dirty? So I changed in my office and away I went to Ridgewood...

Jumped out of the car with absolutely no motivation to run 9 miles by myself although that is usually something I enjoy tremendously....two gels in my pocket...hit the car alarm, stuff the car key in my shorts pocket and I am off...for those that know the Duck Pond...I went under the first bridge and headed towards the .2 mile marker when it hit me...go to the bathroom Bill and just get it over with...so I went into the office building to the side of the running path...real bathrooms...soap...toilet paper ...the works...and off again....the sky was dark and it looked like rain but that's OK I love to run in the rain...it made some of the path eerily dark almost like it was night and I was not seeing anyone else out there which is very unusual for the Duck Pond... jumping some puddles on the path from the previous nights storm...trying to get into a rhythm...passing the 1.5 mark and thinking 1/6 of the way done...finally see a couple bikers who must be fantasizing that they are leading a stage of the Tour de France and they are barreling down the path pedaling as quick as they can without regard for the fact that I am on the same path...no harm no foul and they are gone....turn right after the bridge and head towards Glen Rock...still seeing very few people...a guy on a bike passes me and says "almost done!!!" I am thinking yeah right I'm already 2 miles into my run WOW!!! only 7 or so to go...or was he talking about himself..still not sure...around the pond and back towards the bridge...pass the bridge heading into Dunkerhook park and I feel the urge to hit the bathroom again (big surprise huh?)...so head to the bathrooms and in and out quickly...pull a gel from my pocket and back onto the running path and up and over the bridge...3.8 miles down...start my calculating and realize that I have to go to the 3.8 mile marker so i can avoid going back around the Glen rock pond again so I can get my full 9 miles.....down the only hill and starting to feel a few raindrops...out into the open and see two guys kicking a soccer ball...boy i was more accurate than them when I used to play and I was not great by any stretch of the imagination but at who knows how well or if I could even kick a soccer ball anymore...it is now pouring and thunder and lightening ... pass the Keyhole (as David Leech used to refere to the loop just before the wobbly bridge)..over the wobbly bridge and I am totally soaked...3.6 mile marker almost there...finally...3.8 mile marker and now just 3.8 to go back to the car...it sis really thundering and i am counting in between the bolts of lightening and the claps of thunder...one! two! BOOM....one! BOOM!!...only 3.7 to go and now I am hoping that I am not struck by the almost continuous lightening...it is really poring and I am thankful for the trees to break it up a bit....did I say i love to run in the rain??? yes...I still do but concerned about the lightening..shut up Bill and keep running....Was it supposed to thundershower? I remember hearing something in the morning about that...MISTAKE #2...run in the rain NOT in Thunder and Lightening...I should know better...oh well...what are my are my choices stand still or keep running...Easy decision....still concerned but now 2.7 to go...2.3 and no one around not even the park guys who I thought would be driving the paths to close the bathrooms...they are obviously brighter than me and have gone home...Dunkerhook and turning for the bridge...up and over and decide at the 1.5 mile mark i am going to pick up the pace ...this was not supposed to be a hard timed run but since I ma picking up the pace might as well see how I am running..hit the watch and I speed up...the mile markers are not passing quickly that is of sure...can I run faster...yeah probably but do not want to just trying to run steady...1.2 and almost to the second to last bridge...huge puddles now and really running through some puddle almost continuously now...under the bridge and 1.0 to go ...see the blue house and remember that a guy was redoing the roof yesterday..boy just in time or they would be seeing the rain inside....3 tenths to go and under the bridge...AHHH finished and no lightening strikes...reach for my car key to unlock the doors and WTH!!! Where is my key???? must have just gotten stuck in my shorts pocket...search both pockets...NOTHING!!! Dang ( for the innocents that may read this)...no one around my cell inside the car and 3.6 miles from home (I ran home on Sunday from our run so yes I know how far it is now) MISTAKE #3 pulling a gel out of my pocket and probably the car key with it..OH one car...run over to the other side of the lot and I scare the daylights out of a young woman..i think she was changing and I startled her...she then pokes her head out and asks how she can help..she lends me her cell and I have a spare key on the way ..she leaves and I am all alone in the pouring rain standing in the parking lot with absolutely nothing to do but wait for Andrea to bring my spare key...she arrives ...I am in the care and decide to go look for the key...no luck...head home and into dry clothes...so boys and girls...in a matter of an hour and 15-20 minutes I made at least three mistakes on what should have been an enjoyable run....I survived and feel good today...longest run since Eagleman...I love running in the rain....