Sometimes I do need to Just Run
Today was a about 25 degrees cooler than it has been around here lately. That, along with the wind, convinced me it was a good day to hit the treadmill.
I came home to let the dog out and as I was standing on the porch I thought "what kind of runner are you?" So it's 50 degrees, big deal. So it's windy. Is that seriously keeping you inside? What have you become? So I went inside, put on my running clothes and headed out the door.
I'm not going to lie, the first mile was hard. I had to talk myself through it, a lot. But soon I settled into a good pace and before I knew it, I was at the top of the hill I like to call my "Nemesis." I named this particular hill because it seemed that no matter how hard I tried, it always took me 20 minutes from the second I step off my porch to reach the top of this hill. Well, today I reached the top in 18:31. Oh yeah!
That was the end of Mile 2 (and now you know what a slow runner I am). During Mile 3 I passed my buddy, Lance Armstrong. Okay, so obviously it's not really Lance and obviously if I were to see him on the street it would be strange to see him running but I digress. I call this guy "my buddy Lance Armstrong" because, quite simply, the guy looks like Lance Armstrong. And, seeing him (and his killer quads) always makes me want to run faster and better. So I picked it up and soon I was into Mile 4.
During Mile 4 I passed no less than 8 other runners. This is a route in which I normally do not pass one other runner (except Lance) so seeing 8 people getting their butts out like me was encouraging. Especially considering the knee can't seem to make up it's mind as to whether it's actually injured or not. I tried to pay attention to triggers but nothing seemed consistent: It hurt a little stepping up that curb, so maybe it's stepping up. Oh, wait, it didn't hurt on that one. Hmm. It hurt a little stepping down that time, so maybe it's down? Well, Mile 4 was almost all downhill and it didn't hurt at all. Hmm. Ridiculous knee.
Mile 5 passed pretty quickly but by Mile 6 I really started feeling it. I had been going too fast so I slowed down a little and tried to concentrate on just finishing. Just when I thought I should stop and walk, How Bad Do You Want It (Tim McGraw) started blasting through the headphones and I made it home, sprinting.
With all that was going through my crazy little head today, I really needed a run like that.
8 comments:
I swear, you are rubbing off on me. Today was a really frustrating day for me at work, and I wanted nothing more than to hit the treadmill and sweat it out. Sadly, my treadmill is 3 hours away at my parents house, so I went on a run... outside.
It didn't last very long, as I got paged into work - but it happened!
I'm glad you got the chance to really give yourself something you enjoy!
Well my short little run is nothing like 8 miles but at least I got out today too. 50 degrees is a cold day in winter here so I would have wimped out....but then it is HORRIBLE in the summer at 99 degrees and 99% humidity. I'm glad you enjoyed your run.
Bre- It really does make you feel better. And no one hates admitting that more than I do; I'm SO not a cliche. Heh.
Neil- Don't challenge me.
Runnergirl- Getting out is getting out, no matter how you do it. I don't know how I'd run in 99% humidity. At night maybe?
GG- Yep, funny huh? Our bodies actually want to exercise.
As for the knee, you could be right. I've hand knee problems since I was a teenager though, so I've learned to just wait and see I guess.
I'm working on gills.
8 miles, pretty impressive.
Take care of the knee, you might want to try some real low impact exercise, like a stationary bike on it's easiest setting for a hanlf an hour a day. I injured my knee and the specialist had me do that, it took about 6 months, but it healed without going under the knife.
I'm having a bard time imagining Bre running in heels, but it's funny.
Also, I'm with RGF - I'd love to have gills and webbed toes on my feet.
Only 6 miles guys. 8 (well, 9 actually) will come this weekend.
I'll lay off if I have too much pain, but if not, I have a half-marathon in 6 weeks I need to be ready for.
JACC- I'll have you know that do own sneakers... they happen to be pink and cost a stupid amount of money for all their fanciness, but they're sneakers all the same!!
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