Day 12: Getting on Track

Date: February 10th 2011 10:32 pm
Distance: 3 miles
Weather: No wind, room temperature and fluorescent lighting

Tonight, I found myself down on campus again because of a Web Startup Group meeting. I decided to pack my gym shorts and put in the miles at the indoor track in the Smith Fieldhouse. After cramming all my stuff into two lockers (it didn't all fit in one), I got on the track and got moving.

This track is not normal, and it certainly isn't regulation. It is indoors and open for the community to use free of charge. 5 laps make a mile. I learned about 2 years ago that running long distances on this track can make you go crazy (Jeff and I did around 80 laps one morning). The boredom is maddening. I figured that 15 laps wouldn't be too bad.

The track had quite a few people on it and after about 8 laps or so, you pretty much know all the people out there. There is a diverse mix of beautiful Provo stereotypes that I have summed up in this pie chart (left). Besides the company, running at this location has other benefits:

• Water fountains
• No cold weather or biting wind (see day 8)
• No slushy snow or mud to run through (see day 1 or day 5)
• A digital clock on the wall for tracking your pace
• Getting to watch the intramural basketball games being played inside the track

I took the run at about a 10k pace and picked it up for the last couple laps, but honestly, I was bored by lap 10. I may run here again this year but if that's the case it will not be anything over 5 miles.