Kick Off Run - "Do the damn thing"

So we began our training today. Run #1 at Berkeley Marina. I was really optimistic. Nat seemed excited, Lisa was welcoming, Coach Al was inspiring and seeing Sybil there was surprisingly more of a motivation than I expected.

I feel really lucky to have the coaches I that I do. Aside from totally trusting their track record (no pun intended) they just really make me BELIEVE I can do this. Really, I think that is the main hurdle. I have to just explain the team cheer, I understand why it exists...but I feel like the cheesiest of cheesiness participating. Perhaps down the line, I will feel differently. First, Coach Al is like a really skinny Morgan Freeman who has been appointed God of Running. He also makes me laugh, and laughing is the last thing I think of at 7:30 am on a Saturday morning anticipating running in a big circle.
So this is his cheer:
(Coach) Can I getta GO TEAM?
(us) Go Team!
(Coach) Can I getta NO WIMPS?
(us) No Wimps!
(Coach) East bay...
(us) Rocks!
(Coach) Team...
(us)Blaze...on fire!
(Coach)And the East Bay runs...
(us) Smoooooth!
(Coach) Ok, now let's do the damn thing!

Everytime Coach says his part, he moves his arms like he is conducting a full blown orchestra. Pretty entertaining. Anyway...back to the kick off run.

I haven't purchased a watch yet, but I believe my pace was around 11:10, or at least it was as I passed the first mile marker and Coach Al yelled out times. What can I say...I like to take my sweet time. I keep telling myself that I'm not doing this for competitive reasons, simply endurance - finishing would be great all by itself. Realizing this, I do want to finish the run in under 4 hours...I mean really, I don't even sit at a desk for four hours without eating a meal, so making lunch by noon would be nice.

So I ran until I approached the first water stand, which was the 2 mile marker, and ran back. Overall, I ran 4 miles, and finished with about a 41 minute time.

As far as pains, not very many so far. I don't believe I started the day with the correct food, and didn't really have dinner last night. Also, I need the super cute (and tight) spandex pants and evidently I need a watch. The only aggravating pain I began feeling (which wasn't that bad........yet) was around my greater trochanter on each side. It felt a little like the attaching muscles weren't warmed up enough maybe? Next time I need to spend a little extra time warming up my hips and also focusing on smoothing out my stride. I tried to remember my chi running checklist, and I noticed when I tried to imagine my feet moving as wheels below and behind me, my stride smoothed out and hips hurt less, so that makes me believe it is due to impact. Also, my shoes my be reaching that point of gel no more...boo. I have really loved them over the last year or so, I think they have worked well. It might just be time for a new pair.

Good thing I have 40,000 sports store coupons, looks like it is time to start cashing in soon. Bring on the cool running gear: fanny packs, sports watches, skin tight spandex and fancy holey caps! Oh yeah! Go team!