Eight-one degrees F. at noon today. Whew...we jump from winter to mid-summer and skip spring.
The north side of the garage still has 3" if ice and snow on the ground in a swath three feet wide. On the south side of the property we stood and watched the daffodils and hyacinths open before our eyes. Not complaining, just saying. The forecast for tomorrow is for the mid-seventies. I have to do an eleven mile training run tomorrow in preparation for the 1/2 marathon I'll be running at the end of May in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Since I find it advantageous to run when it's cooler, I'll be on the road by 0700 when the temp should be in the high forties or low fifties.
Today's assignment/prompt for poefusion was to write a villenelle. I've written a villenelle about my training run tomorrow morning based on my 10 mile run over the same route two weeks ago. This route over the 4 rod road to Edwardsville is a particularly rigorous one. I describe it as ten mile loop, up-hill both ways. While technically untrue, it sure feels like it when your running it. ;)
The villanelle is a fixed form of nineteen lines consisting of five tercets (three line stanzas) and a quatrain (four line stanza). The first line (refrain) is repeated in lines six, twelve and eighteen while the third line is repeated in lines nine, fifteen and nineteen. These refrains (first/third lines) rhyme with each other and with the opening line of each stanza. The middle lines rhyme with each other to make the rhyme scheme aba.
The road rolls out; uphill everyway.
Eleven miles of macadam to go,
Counting cadence, in silence sway.
The morning is the cool of day.
Smoothly gliding, heel to toe.
The road rolls out, uphill everyway.
Breathing quickens, muscles bay,
Brain taunts and says: no, no.
Counting cadence, in silence sway.
Sips of water quench thirst away
Each and every mile or so......
The road rolls out, uphill everyway.
Reaching mile 5.5, mind in disarray,
Make the turn, feel confidence grow.
Counting cadence, in silence sway.
Almost there, at last I pray.
I've passed the test, I feel the glow!
The road rolls out, uphill everyway.
Counting cadence, in silence sway.
The north side of the garage still has 3" if ice and snow on the ground in a swath three feet wide. On the south side of the property we stood and watched the daffodils and hyacinths open before our eyes. Not complaining, just saying. The forecast for tomorrow is for the mid-seventies. I have to do an eleven mile training run tomorrow in preparation for the 1/2 marathon I'll be running at the end of May in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Since I find it advantageous to run when it's cooler, I'll be on the road by 0700 when the temp should be in the high forties or low fifties.
Today's assignment/prompt for poefusion was to write a villenelle. I've written a villenelle about my training run tomorrow morning based on my 10 mile run over the same route two weeks ago. This route over the 4 rod road to Edwardsville is a particularly rigorous one. I describe it as ten mile loop, up-hill both ways. While technically untrue, it sure feels like it when your running it. ;)
The villanelle is a fixed form of nineteen lines consisting of five tercets (three line stanzas) and a quatrain (four line stanza). The first line (refrain) is repeated in lines six, twelve and eighteen while the third line is repeated in lines nine, fifteen and nineteen. These refrains (first/third lines) rhyme with each other and with the opening line of each stanza. The middle lines rhyme with each other to make the rhyme scheme aba.
The road rolls out; uphill everyway.Eleven miles of macadam to go,
Counting cadence, in silence sway.
The morning is the cool of day.
Smoothly gliding, heel to toe.
The road rolls out, uphill everyway.
Breathing quickens, muscles bay,
Brain taunts and says: no, no.
Counting cadence, in silence sway.
Sips of water quench thirst away
Each and every mile or so......
The road rolls out, uphill everyway.
Reaching mile 5.5, mind in disarray,
Make the turn, feel confidence grow.
Counting cadence, in silence sway.
Almost there, at last I pray.
I've passed the test, I feel the glow!
The road rolls out, uphill everyway.
Counting cadence, in silence sway.
Labels: 1/2 marathon, Poefusion, training run, Villanelle
posted by rel at 9:15 PM
7 Comments:
dang.. you make it look so easy... i spent like 5 hours trying to do this dang thing,, and i am still not thrilled........
The villanelle certainly reflects your ongoing agony, pushing yourself to limits.
Just great!
Gemma
This has a real feel about it of trudging that uphill battle. I love the rhythm in it. Well done you! Good luck with the training and the actual event too (if I don't get a chance to say it again before you leave.) :)
Kudos to you, Rel. I love the way you've incorporated your training run into this villanelle. I'm also impressed you are going to run a 1/2 marathon soon. I hope all goes well in training and your marathon run. Have a nice day.
I like this very much! Your lines are simple, and flow well. The theme you chose is terrific! I haven't read very many poems about running a road race, so this makes your poem stand out. I like the word macadam. Great stuff!
Half marathon... I couldn't even run a quarter marathon.
Nice blog! I followed links in.
It's crazy that after reading that, I still want to go running.
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