Switching the Six

So, this morning, we completed our six miles instead of waiting on Sunday.  It was not planned and the way it all came about was a bit annoying to me.  It all began yesterday when a coworker called me and asked if I wanted to go walking with her.  I said sure.  It had been about a year since I did anything with her and strongly suspected this invite had more to do with me mentioning it to her than her true desire to get out and walk.  But I said yes anyway.  Well, my husband was in the car with me and I told him I was going to go with her and asked him if he wanted to join us because it was a trail that he had not yet tried.  He hemmed and hawed about it and said he would think about it.  So, I didn't bother because I assumed he would not do it. Well, at 8am, I got up and while I was in the bathroom, he was pulling on his shoes already.  So, i called her to let her know he would be joining us so I would drive instead.  She decided she didn't really want to walk and had about 15 other excuses.  I was OK with that but my husband got the idea that the only reason she backed out was because of him.  Well, that's possible.  But then I felt like it was my fault for not thinking that she might be uncomfortable.  It's not like he would actually be walking with us. He would more than likely leave us behind at a quarter mile anyway! 

So, anyway, this put an uncomfortable silence between us.  We decided to just hit the lake and do our 6 miles.  For anyone that knows me, you know uncomfortable silence for me is worse than an actual argument. I kept asking if he was still upset with me but he laughed it off saying he was never upset to begin with.  So, I decided to just try to work off the annoyance.  But!  I only wanted to do 3 miles.  I worked hard and hit a faster pace than I usually do.  I even left him behind and then stopped to stretch at 1.5 so that he could catch up.  Well, on the last stretch, I told him I only wanted to do the one loop.  He wanted to do two.  I can't sit and let him do it without me.  Besides, his persistence is sometimes my biggest motivator.  He was going to do 6 miles whether I did it or not. We had completed the first three in 32 minutes.  I sucked it up and continued on.  We had been walking about 5 minutes when he dropped the bomb on me.  He said, 'I think we should run.'  Of course he thought we should run. While I was busting my butt trying to beat my personal time for 3 miles, he as just getting warmed up!  So,in a sarcastic snort,  I said 'Of course you want to run.'  Why does it never occur to him to run anytime during the 1st round? 

We started jogging.  I lasted a good 1/2 mile before dropping to a walk, and waving him on.  I didn't think he would get that far before stopping too.  Well, darn him, he ran over a mile.  I was walking as fast as my little 5'2 frame could go just to keep a decent gap.  I ran in intervals but it seemed just when I had the hope that I would catch him on one of his walk intervals, he would start to run again!  I was so frustrated!  But it wasn't his fault.  I was just annoyed that I couldn't keep up.  I saw him slow to a walk again and did a short sprint to catch up.  I got within 5 feet of him and he started running again.  I swore out loud and he heard me and stopped.  I irritably waved him on telling him to go and beat his time.  At about mile 4.5, I started talking to myself.  I told myself that the reason I was getting so irritable was because I was trying to run someone else's race.  He's taller than me, and his athletic ability far exceeds my own.  Why do I think I can keep up with him when I know full well, this is not possible if he is running his pace?  So, I started listening to my music and congratulated myself on the fact that I was walking the pace that I had in the first round and my sweating was minimal.  I was doing better than I had ever done.  So, I got over myself.  He did eventually slow and let  me catch up.  And yes....it was at about 5.75miles.  We finished and we were both still quiet but this time is was comfortable. 

Home now and trying to fight the feeling that all I want to do on this gorgeously gray day is lounge on the sofa.

  I did my dusty six.  And boy was it dusty.  Check out my grimy legs. (And ignore the fact that I haven't shaved please.)