Pavement

As a suburban runner too cheap to spring for a gym membership, I have two choices - the sidewalk or the street.

For year I preferred the street. In my experience the sidewalk is dangerously uneven - anticipating the sudden dips and twists is impossible and I figured taking it is death by a million steps. Also, I am tall and hate getting hit by tree branches, especially (though not exclusively) at night.

However, I have had it with the street. It, too, is filled with unhappy surprises like dips, potholes and drains. The streets slopes, too, of course, and running on the left side of the street means you are always hitting the ground shorter on the right, longer on the left.

And then there are the cars, and even running in broad daylight I have become more certain than ever that I will eventually be hit by someone. So lately, since this winter, I have been using the sidewalk pretty exclusively.

Today I realized something else. As I walked my neighborhood, I thought of being in the street, and how wide it felt. And suddenly I remembered how long it felt, that getting into the street I saw so far ahead of me I could picture the distance - and time, and I would get a little tired. My steps felt very small. On the sidewalk things are much more closed in, and I feel I am running faster.

Listening to: PODRUNNER Classic - This Is How We Roll (135 BPM)

Distance: 3.25 miles
Temperature: 76º
Weather: just humid
Weight: 154 lbs.