We can parasail here?

My first week of marathon training has ended. After this week, with just a few exceptions, I'll probably start off each post with something to the effect of "THAT WAS THE FARTHEST I'VE EVER RUN! OMGWTFBBQ!" I'll try to contain my excitement, for your safety and mine. However, this first week of training was no different than the last two months have been. I ran 4 miles on Saturday and 6 miles on Sunday. On the same course that I've been running every Sunday. I like the route a lot, but I'm getting kind of bored with the same old scenery. And I would much prefer to have my hills sprinkled throughout rather than just coming in a massive quarter- to half-mile incline in the last mile. It's not like I can blame that on anyone though. I'm the one that plotted the route after all.

However, before we get to Sunday, I've still got Saturday to talk about. I did 3 miles on a 'mill, and for the first time I connected the treadmill to a hamster mill. Side Note: They call Big Brother house guests hamsters, and they're generally work-out freaks (what else do they have to do in there anyway?), so I guess their treadmill is also a hamster mill. There's all that running, but you're not going anywhere. I think I did it in 27 minutes, which is fast for me, so I ain't complaining. I'd really like to get my 5k speed to around 24 minutes. We'll see. I'm not planning on another 5k until the day before the marathon, which may or may not be a good idea. I wanted to do the Brew-ha-ha again this year and improve on my time from last year, but it's happening the day after I get my wisdom teeth taken out. I could do it, but I'll be whacked out on percocet and rocking a mostly empty belly. It just doesn't sound like a great idea.

So, on to today. I'm still working out the settings on Grendel. I think I've got it because I saw the thing pause when I was standing still, but if that's the case, I don't know how to explain my splits.

Mile 1 - Time 11:37
Well that didn't go as planned. The time was supposed to be either 10 minutes or less. I have no excuse. Seriously, wtf happened? I'm bummed.

Mile 2 - Time 9:24
Ok, here's what I think happened. Yes, Grendel is set to auto-pause whenever I'm standing still, but it takes it a second or two to realize that I'm not going anywhere. Yeah, that's it. The first mile has plenty of stoplights to wait through. I have to either find a route without too many stoplights, or I'm going to have to just learn to live with some suck ass times. Given where I live, I'm probably going to have to suck it up.

The reason I think the stoplights are the problems is because of miles 2-5. I'm in the park with nothing to make me stop except for frisbee players, dogs, people who veer from one side of the path to the other, and me.

As soon as I got into the park I was greeted with a new and unexpected sight: parasailing. We can do parasailing here? It shouldn't surprise me, since there's all that water, but in three summers this is the first time I've seen parasailing being done in Elliot Bay. I went parasailing for the first time in March, and it was tons of fun. I want to go again. I'm not that into paying for it though.

Mile 3 - Time 9:58
Still below 10 minutes per mile, so I'm still happy. I'm enjoying the view. That's a mighty nice cruise ship you've got there. I've got to get around these slow people, I swear that guy looks like he's fake running. I wish I could master the trick of reading a book or a magazine while running.

Mile 4 - Time 9:21
Hmm, what have we here? Oh, that would be more speed. I don't know where it came from though. Whatever, just like money, I'll take more speed wherever I can find it.

I'm amazed by the way people can just lay in the park doing nothing. I can't handle doing that for more than a few minutes. I'd get antsy and want to see what else there was around me. There's one spot along the trail where there's a little workout area. It's very little, and I almost think it's a bit of perpetual performance art. There's a couple of pull-up bars in a little patch of sand. Attached by chain is one of those short dumbells for doing some curls, but it's made of concrete. I guess that means it's weatherproof. I see people doing stuff in that area all the time. Usually they look like they're just playing around, today's contestants looked like they were serious. One was cranking out the pull-ups, the other was working her abs. Silly people, don't you know "mini muscle beach" is for looks only?

Mile 5 - Time 10:09
Oh, you damn slow tourists, must you always be in my way? First you take up the whole sidewalk, then you blindly and bravely step in front of me. Those of you that are looking right at me refuse to give an inch. Those of you that can't see me are just freaking unpredictable. I could change all my frustrations with this mile by simply crossing the street, but it's so much nicer right by the water! At least I won't have to deal with this next weekend.

Mile 6 - Time 13:40
There are a combination of factors here that lead to this sucktastic time. First, running up Madison literally means up. It's a ridiculous incline and it lasts somewhere between a quarter to a half mile. Second, you really just don't know how nasty this hill is until you try it out. It's from the waterfront to 5th Ave. Please, go try it right now. I'll wait.

Are you back? Did you do it? If you did, you'll understand why I went up so much slower, and you'll also understand why I stopped at every street, regardless of whether I had the light to cross. A guy's got to catch his breath, you know. And this is the big drawback from this entire route. I have to go down to get to the water at the beginning, but I have to go back up eventually.

I actually had to run around Westlake Center before I finally hit 6 miles. More evidence that the iPod is back to it's lying ways. It doesn't matter anymore since I now have Grendel, but I take offense when my electronics lie to me.

Next Sunday I finally increase my distance, and I've already got my route planned out. I'm going to run straight around Lake Union. There's a path that goes around it, so it should be fairly obvious. And, bonus, I'll get a preview of the Lake Union 10-K which I'm running on the 26th. It will be wonderful to get some new scenery.