Today I Ran

Course: Streets of Villa Park/Orange, California
Distance: 4.6 miles

I ran around the neighborhood where I grew up today. Funny how it seems so much smaller running around the old neighborhood now than it did back in high school on the cross country team. That may have something to do with the fact that I didn't have the slightest bit of consciousness of my heart rate and what my optimal aerobic training zone was, so I'd always take off like a bat out of hell with the varsity crew and find myself fading quickly. I think it's a real shame that it isn't common knowledge that in order to improve aerobic fitness you only need to exercise at about 60-80% of your maximum heart rate, which is only hard enough that you should still be able to maintain a conversation with someone or hum a tune as you run. Maybe it is common knowledge, but no one ever told me. I always thought that unless I was gasping for breath, it can't possibly be very good exercise. Now I know why I always bonked so early and developed shin splints all the time: I was pushing too hard too quickly and my body just couldn't keep up.

Well, at least I know now.

Oh, and I had the distinct displeasure of being reunited with the brown haze that
hangs over Southern California. Now I don't feel quite so bad about New York air.