Mile Marker: Week 6 -- The iPod Glitch

Six weeks ago, if somebody had said, "By July 4, you'll be running two consecutive miles," I never would have believed it. But, it has happened! After borrowing some very inspirational shoes from Linda Boyd and Vanny Mam Cain, my feet have covered that magical hurdle many runners experience at about the two mile mark. And, there was another factor involved -- there was the iPod glitch.

I must admit, I am one of those old fogies who mumbles frequently about the way technology seems to complicate our lives. "Who needs an iPod?" I'd ask myself. "What's wrong with my little half-pound walkman? Defrag and download . . . Blueray and Blackberry. My brain already is a high-def, unsynchronized, technological frazzle." But, I kept hearing how runners love iPods, and decided to give one a try. Now, I don't want to run without it -- except that running without it turned out to be the very thing that propelled me past a critical psychological barrier.

The Week 6 schedule required four nine-minute jogging segments (a total of thirty-six running minutes), interspersed with two minute recovery walks. On the last day, near the end of the first nine-minute segment, the iPod died. Good grief. I didn't realize how dependent I'd become on that teeny little gadget. I might as well have run out of gas in the middle of the desert! For a second, I wasn't sure how to proceed, not only because I love the distraction of the music, but also because I constantly utilize the iPod's stopwatch feature. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep time accurately, so for about an instant, I considered returning home to recharge the thing and start all over. Then, I took about ten seconds to consider whether the recovery walks were really critical. In the end, I decided just to slow down when necessary, recite the names of the seven individuals on the "race for the cure wall of honor," and to keep plodding forward. It worked! I jogged an entire two and one-tenth miles, and I wasn't even really breathing hard. I was ecstatic!

Next, on to Week 7, which requires four eleven-minute running intervals with one-minute recovery walks. By the end of the week, my running distance will be well over two miles. Looks as if the training plan may need to undergo some major adjustments.

Now, if only there were fifty names on that wall of honor . . . .

Here's to the next mile!