Friday, July 28, 2006
Running with Go Go (Mark)
We meet at 5:30 am for our usual Thursday morning run. Neale, Mark, and I take off through the streets of Hillsborough. This particular morning, we've decided to add an additional hill towards the end of the run. Neale, coming back from sickness, decides to listen to his health and rightfully so, and not join us for the additional suffering.
Neale was definitely the smart one this morning for not running the rest of the loop. After his words of encouragement to me to keep Go Go in my line of sight, Mark transformed right before me. As soon as we turned up Forest View, Go Go spots a road kill almost at the apex of the hill. So he glances over his shoulder to me, and in an authoritative voice, barks out: come Dito, road kill.
Do you have any idea what it’s like traveling in the wake of Go Go? I felt like Billy Bob Thornton and John Cusack on the runway in the movie Pushing Tin. Go Go says hey, we’ll reel them in nice and easy. Sure enough, right at the very top of the hill, Mark and I pass the runner, and then Mark almost stops mid-stride and offers up an invitation to the Tuesday Night Track Workout.
Gasping for air, we finally reach the end of the hill on Forest View, I am doubled over in pain, thinking phew glad that was over. I was really looking forward to a nice easy recovery run as we made our way back down hill. I can remember telling Mark, well, the workout is over, now is just a matter of going down these hills nice and easy until we get home.
I spoke too soon – as we turned right onto Sharon Ave, Go Go looks up and off in the distance, and I mean distance, observes three more road kills. Well road kill to Go Go is like chumming the water for Great White Sharks. Sensing more road kill notches on his belt, Go Go opens up his pace to Ferrari level. We blow by the final road kill just as we turn left on to Floribunda. The game is definitely on now, I know I was sprinting, but Go Go was just casually running along side me when in between breaths I said, let’s just go to El Camino.
I could have swore Go Go said, sure we’ll stop at the light. But did he stop? No! He runs across the street not missing a beat. Finally, Mark turns right on to Oak Grove and disappears. I think I will take tomorrow off and rest!
Neale was definitely the smart one this morning for not running the rest of the loop. After his words of encouragement to me to keep Go Go in my line of sight, Mark transformed right before me. As soon as we turned up Forest View, Go Go spots a road kill almost at the apex of the hill. So he glances over his shoulder to me, and in an authoritative voice, barks out: come Dito, road kill.
Do you have any idea what it’s like traveling in the wake of Go Go? I felt like Billy Bob Thornton and John Cusack on the runway in the movie Pushing Tin. Go Go says hey, we’ll reel them in nice and easy. Sure enough, right at the very top of the hill, Mark and I pass the runner, and then Mark almost stops mid-stride and offers up an invitation to the Tuesday Night Track Workout.
Gasping for air, we finally reach the end of the hill on Forest View, I am doubled over in pain, thinking phew glad that was over. I was really looking forward to a nice easy recovery run as we made our way back down hill. I can remember telling Mark, well, the workout is over, now is just a matter of going down these hills nice and easy until we get home.
I spoke too soon – as we turned right onto Sharon Ave, Go Go looks up and off in the distance, and I mean distance, observes three more road kills. Well road kill to Go Go is like chumming the water for Great White Sharks. Sensing more road kill notches on his belt, Go Go opens up his pace to Ferrari level. We blow by the final road kill just as we turn left on to Floribunda. The game is definitely on now, I know I was sprinting, but Go Go was just casually running along side me when in between breaths I said, let’s just go to El Camino.
I could have swore Go Go said, sure we’ll stop at the light. But did he stop? No! He runs across the street not missing a beat. Finally, Mark turns right on to Oak Grove and disappears. I think I will take tomorrow off and rest!
Labels: running
