C-

First Five

I had a friend who would grade all of his runs. He would mark A, B, C, etc. in his running log every time. When I asked what criteria was used to determine a grade, he answered that it was just his own subjective "feeling" about each run.

With that kind of scale in mind, today's run is starting off as a solid B. The grading is especially appropriate because this is a test. Not a Covid test, like the one I recently had, but a running test. You know the kind. To see if I will be at all able to run a marathon (the Brunswick, or 'BM') in two weeks. Such an endeavor is more in doubt than usual this time around. I am out the door (just) before four this morning. That's nearly unheard of these days, but I really do need to get some good and long runs in. And good and long runs take time - time that is best spent by starting early.

Curfew rules are that we should stay indoors between 10PM and 5AM. Since I'm in violation, I stay within my own neighborhood for these first five. The wind is very cold, but in spite of that and the early hour, I'm running okay. I'll give myself a solid B. So far.

Second Six

After a short break, I'm venturing out of the hood for a change. My standard six-mile course takes me up to and across Pearl, and east of the water towers, and back. If anything, I'm doing even better than before. I'm also pleased with the consistency. Hey, maybe I can run more than my planned 18 today. 20 is not out of the question.

Yes, perhaps it's going better than before. But not that much better. The overall grade is still a solid B. So far.

Third Seven

I'm heading out of the hood once more. Seven more will get me to 18. Then maybe I can go back out one more time for a couple more to get up to 20. Today's run is going so well, I am not going to worry too much about the numbers. 

My mile splits for the first couple miles are slower. I'm not concerned, but then they get much slower. My grade is rapidly revised down to B-, then C+, C, and finally down to C-.

I shuffle home, barely vertical. There's no way that I will be going back out. 18 will have to do.

Recap

It was a pretty good run. Until it wasn't. At least I passed the BM test, Barely.