When bad runs go good

Sunday had the makings of a spectacular disaster.

I was tired, I was cranky, I did NOT want to go run. My left knee hurt, my left calf hurt, my right foot had both heel and toe issues and I was just not feeling the run-love.

I sat on the couch all “I don’t want to run. But its Sunday, I have to run. But I REALLY don’t want to. But i’ll regret it if I don’t. GO RUN.”

Instead I took the Gus out, and then changed my outfit because you know, stalling… and finally headed out.

I almost didn’t take my Garmin. I didn’t want to know how slow and hideous my pace was gonna be. But I couldn’t remember exactly how far my loop was, and I needed 12 miles, so instead I promised myself if the pace was truly embarrassing that i’d just delete it.

Sure, I have a half-marathon in two weeks and so I should have been trying for a decent run. But it was warm and slimy-humid and with the list of grievances listed above, I knew I had to just let it go and run easy.

Well, not EASY, but slow. Because nothing was going to be easy.

And as I chugged along I tried to change my brain. I stopped to photograph a random stuffed animal.

And I stopped at a waterfall for a minute. And I kept an eye out for critters and commiserated with some other runners about how hideously humid it was.

It was around mile 8 that things started to turn and my pace got better. I want to blame Sasquatch. (This must be freaky at night!)

But really, it was the ‘incredibly fit couple’ i’d seen a minute before. There they were, dressed in black and muscles, strapping their child into a stroller. They gave a very cheerful hello as I went by. And then, I could hear them behind me. And I was all “Yeah, no. I am NOT getting passed by a stroller on a Sunday run.” LOL

So I surged a bit and it felt good. And I shimmied up the giant hill at mile 9. And I kept going.

At mile 11 I had reached my house and debated going in for water and then doing 2 more miles, or just toughing it out for 1. And was afraid if I went inside i’d stay there. So 12 it was going to be.

And as I headed up my loop and saw the row of sprinklers on, I did a happy dance of joy. With my arms raised and a smile on my face I went straight through. And got soaked. Yay!!

And it made me happy enough that I speed up, and had my fastest mile of the day. A 9:00. I ended a hair under 10/mi overall, so I decided it was save-worthy.

Because it truly wasn’t that slow – it just felt it after how great i’ve been running lately. I have to remember that its summer, and that it means i’m going to get a smidge slower.

Which is okay, because a 2:00 Disney POT and a 2:03 Disney POT will put me in the same corral. So I don’t really need to kill myself on course in Bristol in oh, less than two weeks, if I don’t want to. We’ll wait and see what the weather brings.

For now, i’ll just trudge along and hope for sprinklers!

PS. How awesome is my new shirt? I just can’t resist anything hummingbird.

Back to Basics

I’ve been slacking. 

Yes, I’ve still been running and weights and crosstraining (sort of). 

But I haven’t head my head in the game and I’ve neglected the little stuff. 

And when you neglect the little stuff, everything else suffers. 

Two months from today is my second time at the Disney Marathon.  (Goofy Challenge)

The first time I completed it, it was my first big race post injury. And while I had prepared as best as I could, I wasn’t in fighting shape. 

This time, I want to be. 

Plus I need to face facts…that 2:04 half last weekend bothers me. 

I know, a 2:04 half would make most people quite happy.  And yes, even tho it was my slowest of the three this year, it was still faster than all five of 2014. But that’s not enough. 

I’ve come a long way over the past two years. But I’m not fully back. I’m not the same runner who got a 1:50 half PR. 

But I know she’s in there. I need to dig her back out. 

It’s time to get back to basics. To pay attention to the details. 

To drink more water and less wine. More green tea and less coffee. 

To eat more protein and less sugar. 

To do yoga and stretch more. 

To take every workout seriously. The runs. The weights. The bike workouts. So that I earn the rest days. 

To give 110% every time. 

To let that inner warrior free. 

To start thinking like an athlete again. 

I got this. It’s simple. It’s basic. It’s all the power of mind over matter. 

And it’s time. 

Happy Tuesday my friends. And happy running!