That's what I'm doing...sweating!! Made it out for a shorty this morning. There's a 5K this Saturday and I REALLY want to run it. Problem is, my pride is insisting I come in under 30 minutes but my brain keeps reminding me it might be closer to a 33 minute finish. Eh, could be worse I suppose. Take my first race for instance... No really...take it! Ha!! Just kidding...it's mine and I love it.
My first race was a 4 miler called The Scholarship Run. I had been running for 6 weeks and my coach thought it was time for a race. What I didn't know then was this race was the door to the competitive athlete inside me. Only I wasn't thinking that whilst runnin' it. Noooooo...the thoughts I was thinkin' were closer to..."OMG...what the heck am I doing here??" and..."How can I call a taxi to get me to the finish line??"
But then something funny happened when I saw the finish line up ahead. I felt a chill, I was sweating profusely, my heart was racing....yes! I was dehydrated. HAha...just kidding....I felt the first fluttering of the thrill of the finish line. Then I got 2nd place in my age group. I LOVE that medal still. But most important was the sense of accomplishment that day. I'll never get sick of it.
I write about that race because it popped into my head during my 30 minute, 2.5 mile run this morning. I was starting to feel a little disappointed because I can feel how much I've lost from having to take so much time off. I am very impatient by nature so even though I KNOW I need to build it all back up, I WANT TO PICK RIGHT UP WHERE I LEFT OFF 2 MONTHS AGO. But I was feeling just as I did during that Scholarship Run 2 years ago. Tired, achy and my cardio felt awful. I was thinking it was going to take me forever to get it all back (if it can be done). But here's the thing: I ran and FINISHED an entire marathon after only running for 4 months. I did that. Me. From zero to 26.2 in 4 months. Can you feel my pride??? Can ya now?? How bout now??? Righttttttt NOW??
Anyway...I reminded myself this one important fact: I am a runner. Even if I've had to take time off. Even with having to drop some exercise classes. Even though I feel like I'm starting ALL OVER. I AM A RUNNER. Sometimes we runners have some hills to get over. I've read about it, talked about it, listened to other runners talk about it and have had to get over a few of them myself. It can be done. We, as runners, have a little something called thick skulls (JK) We have persistence. Goals. Calf muscles!!!!!!!! So I am trying to be ok with starting all over. I also understand there will be more times when I'll have to take time off again. Ok. I can do it.
Some people call them mountains.
We call them speed bumps, don't we????
6 comments:
Speed bumps for sure. I had to take off a month after my Oly tri b/c of my back. It was hard to go back out and run and see I couldn't do 7 miles right away. I'm back up to five, but it's been a bit frustrating.
You have the right attitude though. Way to go!
I hear ya about thickheadedness & impatience! I know it's frustrating to feel like you've lost ground, but this experience is making you a stronger runner.
I enjoyed reading this post. One time I couldn't do any training for school cross country because of growing pains in my knees, it was very frustrating.
I *wish* I had calf muscles. Seriously, I'm not sure they'll ever show...
Yeah Kim! Run on, and don't stop! And you don't have to start from complete scratch, either.
Kim... you MUST get the book 'Born to Run'. You will ALWAYS be a runner, no matter what.
Try not to worry about your pace. A runner is a runner... at a 6 min/mile or at a 13 min/mile. If you are doing more than solely walking, you're running; if you are inserting some walks into the run, you're still a runner.
And of course... remember, to get faster, you must first go slow. Would it help if I told you that my pace for my 6 miler yesterday was a 10 min/mile?? :o)
HUGS!
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