Cross Roads
My legs were tired this morning. I guess riding 20 miles on a bike weighing 75 pounds late last night didn’t help. Yesterday started with a bike commute to the pool and work. My plan for later in the day was to ride to the Union Square area for 7:45pm appointment, after which I would ride home.
I left work around 6:30pm, which gave me some time to kill before my appointment. I decided to do a lap or two around Central Park for some extra exercise and to burn off some time. I was just about to head into the Harlem Hills when Larry, a fellow member of the Asphalt Green Tri Club started to pass me. . I couldn’t hope to keep up with him on my fully loaded beater bike, while he was on his light weight tri-bike. However he heard me call out to him and he slowed down to keep me company for a loop of the park, figuring he would have plenty of time to ride fast for the remainder of his 34 miles. I was very glad for it and the time passed way too quickly.
I left him around the east side of the 72nd Street Transverse. I didn’t have time to complete another loop, so I cut back across to the West Side and then headed down 7th Avenue into Times Square and Broadway. As I headed in this direction I realized that I could be at the crossroads of my world. While this is commonly known as Times Square in NYC, I am really referring to a crossroads in the metaphorical sense. This thought occurred to me just as I approached Times Square on my bike. The night was crystal clear and filled with energy. I took a picture with my camera phone to capture the moment.
I have definitely taken a new road in my life, which so far seems to be taking me to a better place. I am feeling good and I am focused. However, whether or not this is a better place was questionable this morning. I could tell completing an 18 mile run was going to be difficult. Fortunately, like last night, I ran into a couple of friends to keep me company.
The first was Todd who passed me while riding his bike. He yelled out how I will never beat him. I suppose he has forgotten that I already have; in every race we ran together where we declared an outright competition. Todd, you will have to wait for Eagleman to see if you are now the better Athlete.
At first I planned to run my High Points loop. After running the first set of stairs, I could tell it was going to be difficult to do so another 5 times. The point was moot however, as I soon crossed roads with my friend Grace running in the opposite direction. I really wanted company during the run and we were running the same amount of distance. I hadn’t see her in a while and it would have been a wasted opportunity of a workout companion had I not joined her.
We quickly fell into a comfortable rhythm like we had when we ran regularly together a few years ago. We stopped meeting for a daily run when I began on my Triathlon career. I missed the company, but my training schedule no longer corresponded with hers. We caught each other up on what’s going on in our lives. Grace told me to make sure to get the May issue of Runners World magazine as she will be featured in a cooking column.
I am very glad we met. Grace was running a pace slightly faster than me. It served to keep my running honest and focused. My legs were a bit fatigued from the 41 miles I ran in the past week and the cycling I had done the night before. If it wasn’t for her company I wasn’t sure I would have completed my workout.
About halfway into our runs, my friend and fellow triathlete Robert crossed our path. Rob, turned around to run with us and we proceeded around the park in our own comfortable group. As we were talking we all expressed how grateful we were on this day to have company to run with. Perhaps it was the brisk winds and 40 degree chills that made it intolerable to be solo. Misery loves company, but in this case the company eliminated the misery.
At the last loop it was just Grace and I again. I was starting to lag and Grace was able to turn the tables on me by telling me to come on and push through it. On all of our previous runs, it was always me offering such encouragement. At one point she said her ass should be incentive to keep moving. I replied that if I caught it, would I be able to have it. It made for a humorous moment during the final hill of a long run.
I left work around 6:30pm, which gave me some time to kill before my appointment. I decided to do a lap or two around Central Park for some extra exercise and to burn off some time. I was just about to head into the Harlem Hills when Larry, a fellow member of the Asphalt Green Tri Club started to pass me. . I couldn’t hope to keep up with him on my fully loaded beater bike, while he was on his light weight tri-bike. However he heard me call out to him and he slowed down to keep me company for a loop of the park, figuring he would have plenty of time to ride fast for the remainder of his 34 miles. I was very glad for it and the time passed way too quickly.
I left him around the east side of the 72nd Street Transverse. I didn’t have time to complete another loop, so I cut back across to the West Side and then headed down 7th Avenue into Times Square and Broadway. As I headed in this direction I realized that I could be at the crossroads of my world. While this is commonly known as Times Square in NYC, I am really referring to a crossroads in the metaphorical sense. This thought occurred to me just as I approached Times Square on my bike. The night was crystal clear and filled with energy. I took a picture with my camera phone to capture the moment.I have definitely taken a new road in my life, which so far seems to be taking me to a better place. I am feeling good and I am focused. However, whether or not this is a better place was questionable this morning. I could tell completing an 18 mile run was going to be difficult. Fortunately, like last night, I ran into a couple of friends to keep me company.
The first was Todd who passed me while riding his bike. He yelled out how I will never beat him. I suppose he has forgotten that I already have; in every race we ran together where we declared an outright competition. Todd, you will have to wait for Eagleman to see if you are now the better Athlete.
At first I planned to run my High Points loop. After running the first set of stairs, I could tell it was going to be difficult to do so another 5 times. The point was moot however, as I soon crossed roads with my friend Grace running in the opposite direction. I really wanted company during the run and we were running the same amount of distance. I hadn’t see her in a while and it would have been a wasted opportunity of a workout companion had I not joined her.
We quickly fell into a comfortable rhythm like we had when we ran regularly together a few years ago. We stopped meeting for a daily run when I began on my Triathlon career. I missed the company, but my training schedule no longer corresponded with hers. We caught each other up on what’s going on in our lives. Grace told me to make sure to get the May issue of Runners World magazine as she will be featured in a cooking column.
I am very glad we met. Grace was running a pace slightly faster than me. It served to keep my running honest and focused. My legs were a bit fatigued from the 41 miles I ran in the past week and the cycling I had done the night before. If it wasn’t for her company I wasn’t sure I would have completed my workout.
About halfway into our runs, my friend and fellow triathlete Robert crossed our path. Rob, turned around to run with us and we proceeded around the park in our own comfortable group. As we were talking we all expressed how grateful we were on this day to have company to run with. Perhaps it was the brisk winds and 40 degree chills that made it intolerable to be solo. Misery loves company, but in this case the company eliminated the misery.
At the last loop it was just Grace and I again. I was starting to lag and Grace was able to turn the tables on me by telling me to come on and push through it. On all of our previous runs, it was always me offering such encouragement. At one point she said her ass should be incentive to keep moving. I replied that if I caught it, would I be able to have it. It made for a humorous moment during the final hill of a long run.
posted by Rebel at 5:43 PM
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