The Garmin Fever

I suspect I'm experiencing the same thing common to a lot of new Garmin users. I strap on my new toy...tell myself to relax and forget about the INSTANT FEEDBACK tied to your arm...and run a "normal" training run. Only, I know I have the ability to check my time at each mile interval...or, for that matter, at any other time. What a wonderful - but dangerous - tool. I'm sure I'll get more comfortable (and did - more on that later) but, for now, the temptation to break new land-speed records is soooo tempting.

So on Friday (another day in which I could have worn shorts but didn't), I completed just over
5 miles in 35:59...or a 7:02/mile pace.
Again, I didn't mean to go that fast...I just couldn't help it.

By Sunday, with the legs a little tight from Fridays run, I was determined to relax and get used to the Garmin without feeling the urge to push it. And I think I did. Yesterdays results were a little more in line (though still a little fast for a LR training):

8 1/3 miles
1:01:42 time
7:25/mile pace

I am already registered for the Bayshore Marathon for this Memorial weekend. I'll probably complete the registrations for all my marathons for the year by the end of this month. I'll be posting another announcement soon on my second registration. The plan is to do 3 over the next year.

The funny thing about this running....

In the summer of 1999 I started running because...
(1) I always wanted to try it.
(2) I noticed the late 20's flab from a sedentary lifestyle starting to creep in.
(3) I thought it would be a great way to stay in shape for my favorite sport: basketball.

Over the course of the seven plus years I have noticed a transition from running to stay in shape to play basketball...to playing basketball to aid as a cross trainer for running....to, this year, not playing basketball at all so I could concentrate only on running. This is the first time since 1996 that I won't be setting up my basketball league (open gym) in February. I feel a little guilty...but the league was becoming just another hassle I don't need right now. And I'm trying to pare my responsibilities down to just the core things.

Has it reached OBSESSIVE LEVELS yet??