Seattle has a beautiful landscape with lakes and mountains. For many years I have been dreaming of running on the Lake Washington bridges in Seattle. I always found it harder to run past 3 miles. Often the brain will tell me that I had done enough and push me to stop. Starting in 2021, I was able to get past the 3-mile blocker and run longer distances from 4, 5, 6, and even up to 13 miles. The trip around the mid-section of Lake Washington is at least 18 miles. Not to mention, there is also elevation to consider.
Finally, on May 22nd, I woke up with a conviction to do the long run. Well, it was a last minute decision. So it was harder to have others join in quickly. I left my home in Bellevue around 10:30AM when the temperature was at 60F. I carried just my phone, AirPods, and watch for tracking. I drank about a litre of water before I left. As is my habit, I did not carry any extra water or food with me. The first mile was hard to warm up. Luckily, it was mostly downhill and easy. Starting in the second mile, I have to start climbing up. By the time I completed 3 miles, I already gained about 250 feet in altitude. Surprisingly, I was feeling fresh. The body won over the mind.
The next 6 miles till the 9 miles mark was fairly good. I crossed the first bridge and landed in Mercer Island. Met many runners and bikers along the way, which further inspired me to keep running. By the time I reached 9 miles, I knew there was no easy way back. I have to complete the remaining 9 miles to reach home. At Leschi and Madrona Parks in Seattle, I enjoyed the beautiful lake views.
The run along the coast of Lake Washington was pleasant. The tall trees and the cool breeze kept the heat out. At about mile 12, I came into the Arboretum, where the fresh and variety of vegetation meant an even more pleasant run. The body was getting tired. The mind was evaluating the situation to tell me that I had reached my prior maximum distance. So the mind was mildly suggesting that I should perhaps stop. Nope. I kept going.
By mile 14, I entered the SR520 bridge near the Montlake cut. There was another 4-5 miles to get back home. There was a serious signal from the mind asking me to stop. It even suggested ideas on which friends I can call to have them transport me home. There is also the possibility of getting a Lyft ride back home. Despite being tired, the body was willing to put in steady steps. From an elevation perspective, I had reached 1000 feet of elevation gain. Despite having to climb another 300 feet on the way to home, the body was in a reasonable state. The mind and the body were having these silent conversations. Meanwhile, the battery ran out in the AirPods. That meant no good music for inspiration and company. Worst yet, the road noise on the SR520 was much higher.
I paused the run a few times on the bridge. I took measured steps, counting silently in the mind to keep me focused. For several years, I had repeatedly used the silent counting of 1…100 to keep the mind focused on the runs or biking trips. The silent counting, pauses, and the possibility of reaching him crossing my personal distance record appealed to me. I crossed mile 16 and was still in a reasonable shape. From here on out, I had to take more frequent pauses at 0.5 mile distance. Within another 25 minutes, I crossed the 18 mile mark and 1300+ feet of elevation gain. Four hours had passed since I started the run. I was hungry and thirsty. More importantly, I was satisfied and happy. I stopped the run and walked the last 0.5 miles back home.
It has been 3 days since this run. My body is recovered and relaxed. I was not feeling much pain to start with. I am eager to repeat this exercise in the coming weeks. Some personal notes from the trip are:
- Drink water before, during, and after the run
- Empty bowel makes for happy running
- Pause and rest is okay; Enjoy the scenes.
- Don’t let the mind fool you to stop!
- Body adjusts to slower pace; so use it at the end.
- Don’t do fast pace early on; or else energy is lost.
- Even AirPod battery gave up after 3 hours. My body had energy!
- Definitely, I plan to try again.
Thanks to the CEGO group and others for inspiring me to keep this running journey.
Leave a Reply