For J.P., basketball at MBA finished up on Thursday with a 20 point win over an AAU team. It was a game that was added to the schedule so his team could have a season finale, after University School of Nashville - his former school - canceled a game at the last minute because they didn't want to lose badly to MBA. I know that because I confirmed they had scheduled a game over their game with MBA and failed to tell MBA about it, so they could pick up another game. The most USN thing ever, actually.
He made the baseball team and practice starts in earnest on Monday. I'm looking forward to seeing how that goes, and to seeing him play baseball for someone else. I've coached him for so many years - 9, I guess - so it will an interesting experience to be a spectator.
Yesterday, when I was about to head out for a run before helping coach Joe's two basketball games, J.P. decided to run with me. I'm not sure if it's because I had Covid-19 or because I missed 10 days of running but my most recent runs have been okay, not great. Being extremely busy trying to catch up at work after being out for almost two weeks hasn't helped in terms of finding the time to run either. Anyway, I was excited to run with him because it's been a minute since we've run together.
As I almost always do, I told him when we started that we were going to take it easy. My thought was to run four, maybe five miles, to Elmington Park from Fairfax and back home via Blakemore.
We started out running down Belmont Boulevard in less than idea conditions. Headwind in our face, 36 degrees with a wind chill of 27 degrees. "This sucks," I said to him as we made our way past Belmont University's new concert hall. He just smiled. As I get older, I think I have less of an appetite to start runs in cold weather, especially if its' windy.
As we made the turn on to Portland Avenue and ran toward 21st Avenue, we began to warm up. Still, on Fairfax Avenue, the wind was in our faces, which made for relatively slow going as finished the first mile. Running up and down the hills on Fairfax, we began to stretch out a bit and pick up the pace. As we ran down Marlborough Avenue toward Elmington Park, the Runkeeper App on my phone announced our splits at a mile and a half or so. I smiled, looked at J.P., and said, "now, we're talking." Our pace had picked up considerably as we got out of the headwind.
We ran through Elmington Park, then started up West End Avenue, toward Blakemore. As I often do went I run, we took a detour up the steps of Team Nashville, the oldest running store in the city, owned by my friend, Terry Coker. Back in the day, Terry was a phenomenal track and field athlete at Belmont University. We ran in the front door, waved and said hello to Terry, never stopping, then ran out the back door.
Terry was helping a customer at the register and when he saw J.P. running, in the store, behind me, his face lit up. "What's up, dude?!?" he said to J.P. He reached across the register and gave J.P.. a high five, as the customers watched, a little confused as to what was happening.
We ran down Blakemore, pushing the pace. J.P. ran on the sidewalk for the most part, while I ran in the edge of the street, as I normally do. I like running on the pavement, as opposed to the cement of the sidewalk, because I think it's easier on my knees. It's a habit. Actually, it's instinctual by now, because I've been doing it that way for so long.
As we turned onto 21st Avenue and into Hillsboro Village, our pace had fallen to slightly over 8 minutes per mile. Although the run had turned into something more than an easy run, for sure, I felt good, and I knew a six mile run with a pace under 8 minutes per mile was in reach.
J.P., of course, was running effortlessly, which is a beautiful thing for a runner like me, to see. I wasn't struggling and I could have run faster - maybe my 15 seconds per mile - but I would have felt it. He wasn't even exerting himself. He runs so naturally. Perfect form.
J.P. had asked to finish at Portland Brew, for hot chocolate. Since my motto is "every run leads to coffee," I was on board with that plan. We ran faster down Belmont Boulevard, turned left onto Kirkwood, made the block, ran past Portland Brew on 12th Avenue, then finished on Sweetbriar Avenue. To cool down, we a walked a block or two back to Portland Brew.
I hadn't planned to run six miles. I sure as hell hadn't planned to run six miles at an under 8 minute per mile pace. We finished the run at 7:56 per mile and we ran negative splits the entire for every mile (each mile faster than the last one).
It's a pretty cool thing. When we run, J.P. pushes me. He motivates me. He inspires me. All without ever saying a word. His talent is matched by his humility.
We walked home, tired but satisfied, after a fast, 6 mile run. A run I will remember for a long time.
The Kid, as we waited for our hot chocolate and coffee at Portland Brew after our six mile run yesterday.
No comments:
Post a Comment