Day 13: Runnin' with the SFD!
I'm starting to run again, with a goal of running twice a week for about 30-35 minutes each. I've been revisiting some of my old routes nearby, which I used to categorize according to distance, and that I'm now evaluating based on time so that I'll have several options to consider when I set out on a run.
This morning, I decided to see how long it would take to do 3 loops around Capital Park, the area that includes the Capitol itself along with an extensive series of gardens and grounds. In the past, I've considered 1 loop around the Park to be about 1 mile, so I figured a trio of loops should be just about right to hit my goal time-frame, especially with the 8 extra blocks going to and from the Park from home (about 12 Sacto blocks = 1 mile).
The relatively uninterrupted sidewalk around the entire span runs from L to N Street (north to south) and from 10th to15th Street (west to east). This photo shows an aerial view with the Capitol Building, some of the grounds, and the large sidewalk lined with palm trees:
As I approached the middle part of the easternmost section along 15th Street, I saw a pack of runners wearing Sacramento Fire Department gear approaching and merging onto the sidewalk.
I caught up with the tail of the pack and chatted a bit with the two firefighters at the back. As the group passed other people, one of the SFD guys would shout, "Good morning, [ma'am/sir]!" and the rest of the pack would echo, "Good morning, [ma'am/sir]!" The initial pace suited me pretty well, and it was kind of cool to be running with the SFD.
At a certain point, however, I picked up my pace a bit and started to pass the pack. I made a comment to one firefighter that "I feel like a stowaway!" and he called up to the rest of the pack "Make room on the right!" so that I could pass more easily. I got my own "Good morning, ma'am!" shout-out as I went by, and I made sure to thank them all for their service in return. I was also pleased to note as I went by that the pack did include 1 female firefighter.
Not a bad way to challenge myself a bit during a morning run!
This morning, I decided to see how long it would take to do 3 loops around Capital Park, the area that includes the Capitol itself along with an extensive series of gardens and grounds. In the past, I've considered 1 loop around the Park to be about 1 mile, so I figured a trio of loops should be just about right to hit my goal time-frame, especially with the 8 extra blocks going to and from the Park from home (about 12 Sacto blocks = 1 mile).
The relatively uninterrupted sidewalk around the entire span runs from L to N Street (north to south) and from 10th to15th Street (west to east). This photo shows an aerial view with the Capitol Building, some of the grounds, and the large sidewalk lined with palm trees:
As I approached the middle part of the easternmost section along 15th Street, I saw a pack of runners wearing Sacramento Fire Department gear approaching and merging onto the sidewalk.
I caught up with the tail of the pack and chatted a bit with the two firefighters at the back. As the group passed other people, one of the SFD guys would shout, "Good morning, [ma'am/sir]!" and the rest of the pack would echo, "Good morning, [ma'am/sir]!" The initial pace suited me pretty well, and it was kind of cool to be running with the SFD.
At a certain point, however, I picked up my pace a bit and started to pass the pack. I made a comment to one firefighter that "I feel like a stowaway!" and he called up to the rest of the pack "Make room on the right!" so that I could pass more easily. I got my own "Good morning, ma'am!" shout-out as I went by, and I made sure to thank them all for their service in return. I was also pleased to note as I went by that the pack did include 1 female firefighter.
Not a bad way to challenge myself a bit during a morning run!
posted by jms | 5:25 PM
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