More incremental progress: Three hours for Saturday’s long run, one and a half for Sunday, and up to one hour six minutes for Wednesday’s run. This is a step-back week, so the only incremental changes will be in Wednesday’s run, which goes to one hour twelve minutes.
I’m also starting to run after work rather than in the morning. This is helpful on several levels: one, the warmer temps and full-on sun give me the delusion I’m getting ready to help crew my friend Nattu in his third Badwater 135 in a few weeks; secondly, it frees up the morning for a full half-hour sit and 30-40 minutes of yoga before work; thirdly, it’s contributing to some of the highest-quality sleep I’ve had in awhile. Yes, the running feels a little warmer, but I’m liking this routine so far.
Regarding crewing Nattu at Badwater, I’ve “met” the four crew members (actually I know one of them already) via email and it’s been very congenial and productive … a crew with a little previous Badwater experience and a lot of running and ultra marathon experience. Flight reservations are being coordinated, a cargo van is being rented, and preparations are underway. This will be my first visit to Death Valley, and I’m grateful to have the experience and definitely looking forward to an interesting week.
The Zen teacher I see for dokusan on Monday nights is going to Germany next week and will be gone until the middle of August. Koan study has been helpful as of late, and I may have to switch to a Wednesday night sitting schedule just to ensure I keep up my momentum and see another teacher through the summer. As with running, small increments of progress toward … what, exactly? I suppose it’s all in the doing, with start and finish lines forever blurred.
5/25 Yoga 35 minutes
5/26 LHHS track, a.m. 4 x 800; about 50 minutes total
5/27 35 minutes Yoga. Neighborhood-North White Rock Creek trail, a.m. 66 minutes
5/28 LHHS track, a.m. 24-minute tempo run @ 8:00-7:45 pace. 44 minutes
5/29 40 minutes Yoga.
5/30 Neighborhood-North White Rock Creek trail, a.m. 3 hours
5/31 Norbuck Park, a.m. cross-country/trails, 1.5 hours. 40 minutes Yoga p.m.
