Almost a Long Run by Accident

"Don't run for a week."





That's what the nurse told me after I asked when I'd be able to run or do any major exercise like running again after the dental surgery I was having on Friday. Like any reasonably smart kid, I went with the philosophy that if you don't get the answer you like from one adult figure, ask another one. And so I asked the doctor; he said, "give it the weekend before you run again."




Precise definitions of when weekends begin and end are, in my estimation, rather amorphous. At least when it suits me. It was a nice weekend, and I had not run on Saturday. By Sunday, I just had to get out.



I heard that some of my friends were starting their run early. The later 7:30 AM run was to be of the Medina Half Marathon course. The early bunch were going to add six or so extra miles on the front end of that. Being of the early morning sort anyway, I thought I'd try for those first six, and then call it a day. Oh, maybe I'd do a couple more to just begin the Half course, but only if I felt well. Still just two days post-surgery, I thought I'd better not overdo things.


"How's your breathing, Dan?" asked Harold Dravenstott during those early and too fast miles. "Ughhh," was about all I could get out. But then I settled down a bit, and felt almost human by the time we were finishing those first six.




Big Group at the Gazebo before the start of the Half Course Run         Beth Anne Photo

Now it was time for the rest of the gang to begin the Half course run. It was a big group, and I thought, what the heck, I'll go out for a just few more. I ran some more with Harold, and also Theresa Wright and Will Bertemes. Although not as warm as Saturday, Sunday was a good day to run; bright and sunny, not very windy, and cool temperatures. I was certainly enjoying the camaraderie, as well as the day in general.

At some point I realized that I was pretty far into the course. Far enough, in fact, that I may as well run the whole thing. Will and I did miss one turn, and this resulted in a quicker than expected return to Medina Square.

But that was okay. I got 17.99 miles in (18 being what I consider a long run), so it was almost long. And it certainly was by accident.

Running with Theresa Wright and Friends Early on          Jim Blake Photo

Running with Harold Dravenstott by Medina Lake            Jim Blake Photo