Bridges

It occurred to me today that in terms of physical achievements – like running – we can never really be sure what we can do. Not until you’ve actually done it do you know for certain – and then you simply know that you did it once.

Today's silly finds.

Having run the Bix 7 a couple of times, I believe I can do it. But I my body is aging and joints are getting creaky and sore. And my gut has grown again. So while I believe I can accomplish the Bix again, only time will tell. That’s not meant to be a defeatist attitude, but rather an inspiration to be ever striving.

So I strive. My fat, old body needs conditioning to meet the challenge of Bix and the Brady Street hill (and the subsequent hills nobody really talks about). I lit out this morning at the ripe hour of 10:30 as the thermometer began its climb. I felt the cool morning air as I lay in bed well past waking, so I figured the storm was keeping the temps down. Well, sort of. The mercury rose from 70 to 77 degrees in the 50 minutes or so that I was out on the road. And I felt it.

As is often the case, I headed out with no real route in mind. OK, that’s not quite true. I thought I’d head west and north and back – my 3.2-mile route – just to get a run in on a Monday for once. But as I approached West Street I began to think I should hit the bridge(s) for a little uphill running in preparation for the Bix. So I turned south. And boy, did it feel good. Really. Sinceriously.

First came the Don Moffitt Overpass on West Main Street. It’s a shallow, long grade. Hitting Henderson Street I turned south to Third Street, where I’d pick up the W.C. Jackson Bridge over the BNSF rail yards. Strangely, the old wooden bridge that once spanned the yards – which I’m told my grandfather worked on – was called the Fourth Street Bridge. It lands on Fourth Street on the east side, but begins on Third Street on the east side. Seems to me it could be called either, which in a way makes a good case for actually naming it for a person.

 

Western slope of W.C. Jackson Bridge, 2010.

I think I’ll be traversing the W.C. Jackson Bridge a lot in my training over the next month. I’m moving next week into a house at the east foot of the bridge. I may just run back and forth across the bridge for a little specialized training. Assuming I don’t seriously strain anything in the upcoming move.

Today's Stats

Temp: 70-77 degrees F

Distance: 3.8 miles

Weekly Total: 3.8 miles

Treasure: 1 penny; 1 large steel washer; 1 letter G from an Illinois license plate; 1 sunglasses frame (green, no lenses, no temples); 17 cans.

iPod Playlist (Shuffle):

Foolin – Def Leppard

The Wanton Song – Led Zeppelin

Now Comes the Night – Rob Thomas

Girls on Film – Duran Duran

Steve McQueen – Sheryl Crow

Cold Roses – Ryan Adams

Message in a Bottle (live) – John Mayer

Sometimes When WeTouch – Dan Hill (Fond memories of this song from marching band. Odd? Sure.)

Let’s Be Friends (Skin to Skin) – Bruce Springsteen

Turnaround (studio version) – Robert Plant

Is There Something IShould Know? – Duran Duran