Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Short, slow, and conversational

It’s gray and rainy now, but we had a lovely blue and sunny morning. Paul and I ambled our usual conversational three miles, and I followed up with a little shuffle on my own, interrupted mid-way by a chance meeting with an old teammate, during which we cracked each other up with stories (some nearly true) of running and racing in the early ’60s. Talking about being 16 is a wonderful way to become speedy again.

Coincidentally, the New York Times told me yesterday that these little halts have become quite fashionable among especially new and older marathoners. Jeff Galloway has actually been writing about the benefits of walk-run training for years. I, however, am not training for a marathon. I’m not training for anything beyond achieving the shred of basic fitness that would allow me to begin training for something. So I’m at least a modified temporary Gallowist. No speed, build the mileage slowly. And stop to chat whenever chuckles seem likely.

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