Shirtless

Muggiest day yet. Happy to be back in the park, but the oppressive humidity just dragged me down. My shirt felt heavy. After shirtless running being off limits during the New Haven years, the option is extra specially exhilaratingly luxurious. I try not to do it out of modesty fear of too much cumulative sun, but some days it's better than the drink cart man finding me in a passed out pile along the side of the path. And it feels so good.

I've been worrying that I'll be the slowest kid in the class. Always have. Worried-- not actually been at the bottom. Reassurance comes from showing up and feeling like at least I'm not all alone in my boat. I hope somebody wants to train as I've been, walking a minute out of many run, and somebodies want to go around my pace. The power of low expectations. I like bars set low, in my own head or the heads around me. Then I can meet and surpass them. I like to be pleasantly surprised and surprise.

Next up: Saturday is 11.7 miles and my first run with the group.