July 27, 2011

Soundtrack for an Overactive Imagination

For the first time in a while and possibly one of the last times I'll get to run in Renville park as a daily route (we're moving house) I got out and did and evening run.

My earphones funally bit the dust so I'm back to using the standard free ipod buds which are just too big for my ears and keep falling out. Off I went, out the door into the twilight with my ipod safely tucked away and my music keeping me company.


My normal route leads out along the road before jutting up sharply onto the Renville hill, out along the main road for a bit and then back to complete the loop. It is a planned 70 minute session of a Basic run so after a decent warmup it's settling into a rhythm to clock up the km's


On the way back I decided to cut through the woods, I'm starting to like the varying ground conditions and enjoy the reactive run where you have to shorten or lengthen the stride to adjust to the traily, muddy, twiggy ground. The odd little jump over a dog turd that threatens to trip you up, is good for your explosive responses too.

Darkness was falling as I came to the woods, and literally as the entrance came in sight the music in my head changed. Gone was the 101 Running Songs soundtrack and Slipknot started grinding guitars and pounding drums as the trees hung over the trails like Sarlacc teeth on the Great Pit of Carkoon.


It was eerily like the Blair Witch, good job I have no fear!

There I was rocking along to some heavy stuff and right there in the lull between sounds I heard it. A pounding of heavy steps right behind me. They kept with me stride for stride, getting heavier and heavier. 

I realised that one of my ear buds had fallen out which is why I hadn't noticed this before.


I'm not going to look back like a big scaredy cat, up the pace a little, drop this person.


The steps stayed with me and then I realised it was the deadly heel strike following me. My form had dropped off and I was pounding the forest floor. Slow it down, point the belly forward and back on the forefoot.
AAH!! Much better, peace and quiet return. 

Until the next song.

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