Concrete

It's 9.96 miles into my 10-mile run. One second I'm vertical, and the next, WHAM, I'm not.

This is not as bad as the last time I encountered the Earth's surface with body parts that are supposed to stay away from it. Today, I manage to break the fall with the palm of my hand, so other than a jarring experience, I'm mostly okay. 

What caused the fall? Uneven concrete sidewalk sections to which I should have paid more attention. I hate concrete. Besides being uneven, its hardness also takes a long-term goal on us runners. Asphalt is better, and dirt, grass, crushed limestone, etc. are better still. Rubberized tracks are high among my favorite surfaces, and had I just remained on one for one more mile today, I would be having a different conversation with myself right now. 

After those first nine miles at Claggett Middle School track, why did I leave? Well, I was bored and decided my post-speedwork cooldown mile could be elsewhere. Secondly, a team of soccer girls had shown up, and I decided to stop showing off my half-naked body by running circles around them any longer.

The speedwork itself went better than expected. 5 x 800, the first in a long while. Now to improve on this. And remain vertical.