may 24/RUN

8 miles
top of I-94 bridge (near downtown)
61 degrees

Could summer finally be here? I hope so. Scott and I ran north on the river road, down the franklin hill, through the flats, up the I-94 hill, then everything, in reverse. The first 6 or so miles of it felt fine; that last bit, not as much. My feet hurt, and I think it’s because of my shoes. They felt better this week than last week, but I’m still wondering if I should look into some other shoes.

Scott and I talked about amateur runners doping (me), our complicated feelings about bikers (Scott), the virtue of reasonableness (me), labor arbitrage in relation to the production of electric basses (Scott), and how a Lutheran church in south Minneapolis is giving land to an American Indian organization as reparations (me). The first half of the run went by quickly as we talked. During the second half, my feet started hurting, the sun felt warmer, and we were both thirsty, so I noticed the time and the miles more.

11 Things

  1. someone on an elipti-go machine
  2. Hi Dave! / Hi Sara! Hi Scott! — greeting Dave the Daily Walker — it’s been some time since I’ve seen him
  3. click clack click clack — a roller skiers poles
  4. a group of 1/2 dozen bikers, at least 3 of them young kids
  5. a line-up of 4 cars, following behind a slower biker chatting on the phone
  6. a thin, oily-looking skin on the river’s surface in the flats
  7. a lone rower on the river! I listened to their oars gently slapping the water
  8. mostly filled benches
  9. the smell of honeysuckle drifting out of the gorge
  10. rows of black garbage bags filled with vegetation — I think it was Friends of the Mississippi River volunteers removing garlic mustard
  11. the spring that emerges from the rock face below the west bank of the U of M was gushing water

A good run. It helps to run with Scott. Today’s victories: running up the entire (long and steep) I-94 hill; running up 3/4 of the franklin hill; keeping steady for most of the run; finishing a minute faster than last week on a tougher route.

Things to work on: try lock laces; bring water — or stop for water