I was leaving work yesterday, waiting to turn onto the highway. If you time it just right, this particular wait can get up towards ten minutes, and I have impeccable timing. Anyway, while I was sitting there, I watched a man run up the entire giant hill. We have a name for this hill, but I can’t remember it. The Medical Hill? Michigan Hill? But if you know GR, you know what I’m saying. It goes up Michigan St, starting at Ottawa and all the way up to the hospitals. The name doesn’t matter, the point is that he ran up the whole darn thing. He slowed down a bit near the middle, but kept on going. I was amazed. I wanted to shout a good job, but he never would have heard me. I clapped a little though.
I personally don’t do hills. Would I be a stronger runner if I did? Maybe. But I might also be a grumpy runner too. I do gentle slopes, and right now, I’m good with that. I don’t even run down the hills, hurts my shins too much. Probably my biggest problem would be the honest to goodness MOUNTAIN in the last quarter mile of any run I do. I haven’t sat down on the path yet, but I will stand there for a while recovering. If it was a straight path and I could see if anyone was coming, I would be fine with sitting down for a bit, but it is as curvy as it is straight up. I don’t have a lot of pride, but I have a smidge.
Moral of the story – here’s my virtual high five to the man in the sassy green shorts yesterday. Nice work!
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10 comments:
lucky you! at least you have the option. chicago doesn't have hills- we have overpasses and bridges... and some of my cyclist friends ride up really big parking garages to get their hills in.
i keep saying I'm going to do more hill work. But, in the end the only hills I do are the speed bumps in our neighborhood.
Here's to you, Mr. Sassy Green Shorts Man! It sounds like a bud light commercial.
When I ran my first run with my running partner, Lisa - who has done more marathons than I can count - she said something that has always been in the back of my mind. She said she never feels bad about walking up steep hills. She said that she has never, not once, gone through a running related injury and knows it's because she never pushes her body past that point. Sometimes it's just not worth it.
You know, I actually enjoy running UP hills much more than I enjoy running DOWN them. Too much knee-impact. Or something. There is something so rewarding about climbing hills like that though; the feeling you get at the top is amazing.
I love to see runners on the streets now that I am a runner...I am always cheering them on in my mind!
Hills SUCK but are a necessity. I am doing another 5k in 2 wks that is 2 laps around a mostly hilly park ICK, boo, hiss
That's awesome that guy can do that! Does the half marathon have a lot of hills in it? The course might be on the USATF website where you can look up the elevations of mapped courses.
It's funny - when I do my Winchester hills, I sometimes get smiles from folks when I reach the top. It helps as a lot.
Hi Amy! I tagged you. Check my blog for details.
Where is your race report? I'm anxiously waiting!! : )
Hey Amy! i just found your blog today on the completerunning.com list! Your blog is wicked motivating and funny! keep up the awesome work!
Amy, We miss you at Runners World Online and I see you haven't blogged recently.
Hope all is well.
Sometimes folks lose track on their diets and workouts and don't blog for a while. Hope you'll start again. You have people that want you to succeed.
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