I’m Not Even…

…going to mince words about it today.  It was definitely MIND over BODY out there on the trail this morning.

I can’t believe how difficult it was for every step of THREE POINT TWO EIGHT MILES.

The entire time I was putting one foot in front of the other, I was thinking: How in God’s Name am I going to run for 6.2 miles?

I will. 

I have done it before, I just have to wrap my head around it.

The good news about today’s run?

My pace was average. 

And by average, I mean faster than the past 5k’s I’ve run and they were with NO walking.

Keep in mind, my mileage/pace includes a minute of walking.  And when I say walking, I don’t mean RACE WALKING.  I mean a few moments of recovery for me physically.

I am seeing miniscule results in time/pace and I’m thankful for that – but what bothered me more than anything today was the fact that I still feel weak from being sick earlier in the week.  I carried a bottle of VITAMIN WATER with me and I’m ever so glad that I did.

The other side of the coin is that I really LIKE bike riding.  It’s easier on me physically, but I also know that it doesn’t burn as many calories. 

I think my body has figured out that I can bike twice as fast as I can run.

Ease On Down The Road..

…I admit it – I felt guilty for not going out for a run yesterday morning.  I’m starting to get antsy about the fact that I’ve got a 10k RACE coming up in a few weeks.

*gulp*

I just don’t feel like I’ve been training hard enough.  I’ve had several long runs, but not consistently.  However, I don’t want to beat myself up like I did before my FIRST OFFICIAL 5k RACE this past May.  I think I over-trained because I had the issues with my Nike+ and Runkeeper apps.  I was worried that I didn’t have the distance.

I know that I have the distance, I’m just inconsistent.  But I figure if I go out and get at least one long [5+ miles] of run in a week, I’ll be doing pretty well.

Regardless, yesterday I was completely under the weather and could barely get out of bed.  This morning, I was much better, but thought it best to just take a leisurely bike ride.

5.79 MILES OF HUGE SUCCESS, thank you.

A beautiful morning – quiet and just cool enough to wear a long-sleeved shirt and not be overly warm.

A girl could get use to this…

There’s Not A Lot…

… I can add about this morning’s run.

A respectable 2.10 MILES.

Not fast. Not really a scenic route. No major revelations.

In fact, had it not been for the fact that because of recent TRA1L RUNNING, I’d be certain to say that I’m not very fond of running on the roads around our house anymore.

It’s not that they bore me – it’s that they scare me. 

There seems to be a great deal of traffic and it comes at me from so very MANY different directions.  There’s not a sufficient shoulder on the side of the road to accommodate my feet let alone my entire being.

That makes me more than a little nervous.  Is it any wonder I don’t want to ride DASH on the road?

I did get to do the LADDER DRILLS on the railroad tracks again.  I have to say, that was the best part of the run.

I’m Not Sure…

… I’d made a decision to run 4+something miles when I initially went out on the trail this afternoon.

I was actually hoping to get out of the house early, but it was raining.  When I checked the local radar, I could see that it would pass in about an hour, so I figured I’d wait.  It’s not that I mind running in the rain, I don’t.  But the trail can get muddy and I don’t want to think about ruining $70 shoes before I get to race the 10k in them.

So yeah.

4.30 MILES.

I won’t kid you.  It’s still hard.  I find ways to push myself.  I walked two extra times during the last two 10 minutes intervals.  About 250 feet – just enough to get my legs relaxed and then I ran again.

Here’s what I learned today:

I look down when I run.  I have tried to correct this habit, but today, I realized I do it for a myriad of reasons.

• It takes the pressure off my lower back where I had surgery.
• I’m acutely aware of the uneven places of the trail/road. I don’t want to trip, fall and injury myself.
• If I look too far ahead, I defeat myself with negative internal talk.

Did you get that last one??

I rarely run on level, flat ground.  Usually there’s an incline on the trail, as gradual as it seems, when you look ahead, you can see how steep it really is.

However, if I focus 10-15 feet in front of me, I am less intimidated and am able to easily conquer a hill/incline.

FOCUS.

I haz it.

I’m keeping it.

Get your own.

I Was Very Excited…

… to take DASH out for a ride today on the unpaved section of the M0NTOUR TRA1L.  It’s been cooler the past two days, especially in the mornings.  The humidity has been down and I know the trail in this section is tree-lined.  I figured I’d be fine in the afternoon.

I wasn’t out for a LONG RIDE LIKE LAST WEEK, just 5-6 miles.

Wow.  It was an amazing afternoon.  It was easy to put my bike rack on the V*W and after adding a little air to the tires, I was ready to head out.

I love how easy it’s been to load DASH on the V*W.  I feel secure with the bike rack and it’s very sturdy.

I entered the trail at Ven1ce access point on Route 980 just up the hill from Route 50.  This section is easy for me to get to from home as well as which way to ride/run the trail.  I can cross the street to TAKE THE TRA1L TOWARDS IMPER1AL or BACK TOWARDS HENDERSONVILLE like I did today.

Only once was I completely creeped out.  There’s a tunnel called NAT1ONAL TUNNEL – while it wasn’t long, it has a bend and you can’t see from one end to the other.  Even though there are glow strips along the walls, is definitely PITCH BLACK in the middle section.

It was completely unexpected and I was a little weirded out because it was dark and I was alone:

I was fine, but it was creepy. I just kept my eyes ahead of me and literally looked for the LIGHT at the end of the tunnel.

All in all – AN EXCELLENT NEAR-SEVEN MILE RIDE.  I look forward to doing it again soon!!

At Least I Tried…

… Saturday afternoon, I couldn’t stay awake.  I never nap, because I don’t sleep well at night if I do.

When I was relaxing on the couch, watching a video, I couldn’t keep my eyes open.  I realized this was because my body was fighting some sort of illness.

As the evening went along, I was sneezing and my nose was runny.  It made the performance miserable for me – but I hit all my marks and didn’t bump into the furniture. [On stage – the bruise on my right shin proves that I banged into something back stage!]

I came home and took some over-the-counter sinus meds.  My performances for the week were done [off till Thursday] and I just needed to get through Sunday morning’s church service.

I rested all day Sunday after the service and when I woke up this morning, I was feeling fine.  I figured I’d head out for a run.

I need a long one – but I thought I’d take what I could get.

THAT'S ABOUT WHAT I HAD FOR TODAY.

I don’t consider it a failure.  I probably could’ve pushed it and ran a mile.  Or after my pit stop at home, COULD'VE GONE BACK OUT FOR MORE MILEAGE.

But sometimes, it’s not about the mileage… it’s about knowing when to rest and when to push*. 

Could I have pushed through and run another mile or two?

Yes.

Did I NEED to push today?

No.

I’m just fine with what I did – and it was FAST!

*There are always consequences when you ‘push’ through an illness.  Sore muscles, injury, time off for recovery. I’ve learned this the hard way by performing when ill – mostly out of necessity, but there’s always a lengthier recovery period that is needed.

It’s New AND Improved…

… After my first TRAIL RIDE the other morning, I noticed some rubbing on the back tire.  I hadn’t noticed before the ride and I couldn’t see where it was rubbing on the frame.

I don’t know about you, but after nearly 6.5 miles out the trail – having an issue and having to limp back with a broken bike isn’t something I relish.

The bike was a hand-me-down and I’ve had it for at least 6 years.  To be honest, it probably isn’t worth the rustoleum to take it in and have it serviced.

So I began bike shopping!

THIS WAS MY FINAL DECISION and it was based on a number of factors.  My old bike was heavy – I had trouble the other morning lifting it to/from my car.  [I don’t need to be adding a back spasm episode to my daily routine.]

I had gotten some $$ for my birthday and it was just the right amount for the purchase.  I even haggled a bit with the store clerk/manager.  They were able to match the online price to save me a few $$’s.

Here was my favorite part:

The employee helped me get the bike down from the top store display rack. 

She looks at me and says: So – You wanna take it for a test ride?

Oh yes I did… right around the Wal*Mart store!

FIRST RIDE ON THE TRAIL.

It’s True…

A SHORT RECOVERY RUN…

With Ladder Drills on the railroad tracks!

Yikes.

But you know, it was fast.  Faster than I normally am and I’m very, VERY pleased.

In Celebration…

… of getting the BIKE RACK for my Birthday yesterday, I slapped it on the back of my V*W and took it out for a ride.

A VERY LONG RIDE.

It was amazing.  I know I use that word a lot these days, but that’s the way it feels.  There’s just something so very special about riding as fast as you can without a care in the world.

I’ve not ridden that far in so many years, my behind is a little tender.  I’m going to have to either look into purchasing a gel seat cover or different seat.

Honestly, it no longer feels like exercise to be healthy physically.

It simply feels more MENTALLY healthy!

Recovery Run…

… was on the agenda for this morning.

IT WASN'T COMPLETELY BAD, except that I was having some potty issues and had to make a fast pit stop in the middle of my run.

It also looked like a bad storm was moving in, but there was never any thunder/lightening, I still adjusted my route and stuck closer to home.  I don’t mind running in the rain, but the size of the storm that looked like it was brewing [and eventually passed over] was fierce.

It was an emotional run for me this morning.  My last one before I turn 50 years old tomorrow.  While age never really bothers me, it’s more about the fact that I’ve only been running for about 5 and a half months! 

I can’t believe it and still refuse to call myself an athlete.  I feel slow and old sometimes.  And still overweight.  I realize that runners come in all shapes and sizes, while I don’t have a specific ‘size’ in mind for myself – I just don’t see an athlete when I look in my mirror.

Still – I asked for a bike rack for my car for my birthday.  I really would like to add more riding to my ‘fitness’ regime.

I worry about what it’s going to be like going back inside at to the gym this Winter.  I’m not looking forward to that prospect, I’m going to keep it outside as long as possible.

Athlete? 

Who knows…

I Wish I Could Say…

…it was easy. 

It wasn’t. 

However, it was emotional. In a myriad of ways.  I’m still amazed that I was able to actually do it.

A 10K! 6.25 MILE RUN!!

It’s true that I walked a lot – but I knew that was going to happen.  I picked a very hard route.  There were lots of hills – a road course that meant I had to really pay attention to traffic.

One of the things that sometimes bothers me about the roads [and running on them] is something that you’d least suspect:

Most of the roads around here are built this way – which is great for the run off and not really noticeable when you’re driving.

RUNNING?

Completely different story.  It kills my knees because I’m always running on uneven ground.

I had some serious aches and pains when I was finished.  A few tylen0l helps and the next day, I was okay.  Although, I really should’ve taken a steam/whirlpool.

I need to add that back into my routine!

I don’t care that I didn’t run it fast or that I walked towards the end a great deal.  I did the distance and that’s what matters!!

I Probably…

… made a hasty choice about what I did on the track today.  I made the choice mostly out of frustration and anger.

I was pleased to get a quick mile in this morning on such a beautiful morning!  There was a break in the humidity and I was excited to get out and run.

The BAND was out practicing and I was happy as always to see them.

I was having issues again with my G*P*S on my iPh0ne.  I don’t know – it seems to have trouble sometimes and have a mind of it’s own.  Don’t believe me?  Take a look at the MAP IT DREW OF MY RUN – Um yeah.  I know I wasn’t running in those crazy jagged patterns.

WHICH OBVIOUSLY DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME.

I should’ve known there was a problem when my first 10 minute interval came to an end and it said that I had run 20 minutes.

Really?  REALLY.

I figured that I could just run another lap or so around the track and call it a day – I’d figure out the rest of it later.  The important thing was that I was out there working.

As I rounded the back side and started down the straight way, I saw that the band had taken a break.  One of the girls was standing talking to her friend directly in my lane.  She was facing me, so I knew she saw me coming – there was no one else in our line of vision and only one other runner on the track.

Suddenly, I realized the girl wasn’t going to move but she felt ENTITLMENT to the field [lane] and it was going to be a stand-off.

The closer I ran to her, the more I became incredibly irritated.  I was staring her down and she was looking back, directly at me.

She wasn’t budging.

I ran directly at her and at the very last second, stepped out of my lane to pass her, grazing her shoulder.

I didn’t stop.  I didn’t look back, but I can tell you this – I was angry.

I was angry at her disrespect.  I realize she had no idea who I was – or that I had been through that whole Summer-Band-Camp experience numerous times!

Even the 4 year old walking the track with his Grandmother knew to pay attention when someone was running/walking near him.

Should I have done what I did? Probably not.  Instead of being an adult, I was childish and reactionary.  But I can tell you this, I never would’ve done that to another person I didn’t know – adult or otherwise.

It Was…

… an incredibly busy week/weekend and I didn’t get in a third run on Friday or Saturday.  I think that’s the first week since I began running in March that I haven’t done three runs.

I felt a bit guilty about it, but I really needed to save my energy for all the other things I had to do with friends and family.

It was a VERY busy weekend.

But you know what?

The RUN THIS MORNING was pretty incredible.  I actually went out figuring to run about 2+ miles.  As you can see, I did just that! 

I hadn’t decided where I was going to run because I wasn’t sure what the humidity was going to be like before I could actually get out there.

I admit it, I’m a slow morning starter.  Because of my arthritis, I just need to get up and get moving around before I’m actually comfortable enough to think about moving out for a run.  Sunday afternoon was spent in recovery mode on the couch, which only ADDED to my stiffness.

However, I was more than satisfied with this morning’s run.  I felt comfortable – even running on the open road with traffic.

I still find it hard to believe that only a few months ago, I was struggling to run a 5k and here I am reveling in the fact that I ran 2.69 miles and could’ve gone more.  I just picked a spot and stopped then walked the last half mile home.

In my head, I went out there thinking that I wasn’t necessarily running for time – but for distance.  I knew the mileage I wanted and went out to get it.

Mission Accomplished.

I Wish…

… it could’ve been a destination run today – but it was very humid from the moment I woke up.

My joints and arthritis are really vulnerable to the humidity and today just seemed unbearable.  So I decided to run indoors.

The indoor track is at the gym is 1/12 of a mile.  I DON'T EVEN WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW MANY TIMES I WENT AROUND IT. 

[Sixty-THREE, in case you were really wondering.]

BORING.

By mile 3, I was gimping pretty badly – mostly because my body was feeling the repetition, I was bored and needed distraction.  I decided it was time to get thorough my opening monologue.  I know it runs about 14 minutes – hey – 14 minutes of distraction was MORE that sufficient for me to keep in the groove.

That’s all it took.

Don’t let any one tell you it’s not MIND over BODY. 

It is. 

It just takes knowing where to keep your focus.

When I Say…

… fast run around the track this morning?

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I MEANT!

Dudes, I ran an 11 minute mile!  When did that happen??

I wasn’t sure I was going to run at all – I’ve got a busy week ahead with more rehearsals, performances, visitors and family reunion.  Physically, I’m tired from weekend performances and a 5 hour rehearsal last night.

I woke up early this morning and something inside me just told me to get out there and RUN a mile.  JUST A MILE.  I guess I wanted to get it over with quickly – because it was incredibly FAST and I didn’t feel like I was pushing it at all. 

Whatevs.  I’ll take it!

I took this photo because I love running in lane 3.  I don’t know why – I think it’s a favorite number of mine – I have a thing for odd numbers.

Also, it’s not the pressure of being number ONE and yet – it’s not the outside lane either.

A little crazy, I know.

It was also great to have LIVE marching band accompaniment while I was running.  Thank you – Char-Houston HS Band!

I am going to re-set the mileage ticker, but wanted to make note that as of July 31, 2011 it stands at:

167.1 miles.

I was 7.1 miles past my July target.

My goal for August, 2011 will be to add another 30 miles.

Let’s DO IT!