Traveling Runner
The two weeks day off was very helpful. First week was staycation, I remember going running and then to the gym and then having ample time to stretch and recover. The second week was vocation, and similar to the trip last winter, I ran a lot.
I was having a few ideas looking back, first one being that how much time was spent on each activities. Monday I was running HM distance, then cycling, then drove 6h to MN, then another 2h cycling. Tuesday was all running/walking, 3h in the morning, 2h at noon, then 2h in the MIA (an eye opening museum, Institute of Art), finally 1h for a group run (Mill City Running). Wednesday, too tired for anything, so just 2h cycling around the lakes, then another 1h in St Paul, driving for 4h to Madison. Yesterday, spent 1h in trail running, another 1h in track running (McKee Farm Park at Fitchburg), 4h walking in UW-Madison, 2h driving home. Today: 1h running, 1h workout and stretching, 1h cycling and rest.
It was fun experience to run in a different city, but the time was not balanced. When traveling it was not possible to find quality tracks, and no chance to use a gym, so workout has to be interrupted. I imagine a triathlon athlete would find more difficulties.
But running in a different city is all necessary. The land in Chicago is just too flat, and the routes too familiar. I wonder if muscle memory can play a role here. In a different city, the adrenaline is elevated without a race. If I could afford it, I would really like to do the winter trip and summer trip again. The southern cities have good hills, and the west ones have beautiful trails and lakes. To constantly feel the difference with home city, to think the reason why one city prefers this route of development and another city prefers that, to measure a city with footage, to appreciate the beauty and condemn the ugliness. One must have countless words to say after such. And all pain or tiredness would be forgotten.
Driving was such a large part of a trip. It made me wonder whether I "rested" only when I drove. If taken that way, maybe driving is something I should try to enjoy and appreciate as an experience. I listened to podcasts in the trip, then some music. During the winter trip, it was all Ella Fitzgerald and only that one CD, and we eventually listened to it so many times to feel excited about it when we encounter her songs again. I tried to use cruise well, to place myself against the traffic flows. Sometimes it was just peaceful, and sometimes there were "episodes" of traffic got congested and people try to get out. I kind of enjoy it now, to have the cycle of relaxed driving and then some tensions. Watching the cars interact or interacting with them, making conversations, let the time flow easily. I believe my driving skill is still bad, and I still don't know how to communicate with lights or horns, there are still many driving etiquette to learn. At least I can cruise!
No matter how much breaks one takes, the remaining driving time is the same. It is a sad fact that applies to our work, too. There got to have some hard work to do, and I tend to spread the work too long, thinking we might generate a different outcome.