… and for the Month of February – I did my best to make those goals happen.
I had hoped to reach my goal of 30 miles this month.
I’m proud to say I came within 5.7 miles of that goal – even being away in VEGAS and coming home incredibly sick.
No matter – I put just as much effort into the 25.3 miles I did manage to kick out.
Tomorrow we begin again.
And that’s a VERY GOOD thing…
… it was not my best run today.
I have been tired for the past two days. I’ve slept more in the last two days than I’ve slept in the past week. I still feel like I need more sleep. I’ve been sick and on antibiotics for 30 days for the past three months. [10 days each month.]
It was a beautiful day today – but windy. From all directions.
The thermometer says that it’s 56 out there – on February 27th. But the wind was cold.
Let’s be perfectly honest:
I didn’t want to run today. I tried, I did. Believe me, I stayed out there longer than I thought I would. I was ready to quit after the first .25 mile. I was scheduled to do 4 miles.
I BARELY EEKED OUT 2.28 MILES at an insanely labored pace.
I can run through a lot – I know this. But I’m beginning to doubt myself. Maybe 13.1 miles is more than I can do at this stage in my life.
Do I really believe that?
No.
I’m scared. Half Marathon training is going to take a whole lot more dedication than I imagined.
I’m afraid I will put all this work into training and be disappointed.
The question is – do I BELIEVE it enough to keep training?
Because if I’m going to go out there every week and doubt myself – I don’t want to put myself under that kind of pressure. I don’t need to prove this to ANYONE but me.
But I need to believe that it’s possible for me to reach the Finish Line.
I’ve got 68 days to go before the race on May 6th…
Harry and I are planning a quick trip to SEVEN SPRINGS for the weekend to see our favorite local band.
My first thought after booking the hotel room?
DESTINATION RUN!! WONDER IF I COULD GET IN A QUICK 5K AROUND SEVEN SPRINGS!
Dudes.
Not Martinis. Not Mimosas.
RUNNING!!
Who is this person??
It's not from the known, but the unknown, that creativity and inventiveness are born.
Turn away from the predictable, cliché, and reliable. Brave the void where the darkness is greatest. Trust the quiet, find the stillness, feel the calm. Then steadily think, speak, and move as if you were led.
Behave as if your vision were clear. Anticipate the emotional rush that will come with your triumph.
And as if by magic, as you raise your pen to write*, you'll find the words have already been summoned, flooded in light that was there all along, in a world that has just as anxiously anticipated your arrival.
Seventy-Five days till the Pittsburgh Half Marathon!
See you at the Finish Line!
*Or whatever your ‘goal’ is at the moment…
… by the blue skies that I had for my early morning run on the VEGAS STRIP.
Honestly, it wasn’t really so much a run as it was an enjoyable sight-seeing adventure on a part of the Strip I’ve never run before.
When I was in VEGAS THIS PAST SEPTEMBER, I was excited to run as far North as I could. I was actually headed to THE STRATOSPHERE RESORT then, but I realized that it was a bit too far. Remember, it was only a couple of days after I’d run GREAT RACE 2011! My body was tired. I literally ran the race and left the next morning for Vegas.
If there’s anything I’ve learned about running – it’s to listen to your body. Could I have run the extra mile or so that day in September? YEP. Did I need to?? NOPE.
This time, I felt good about it and I knew that I could put up some enjoyable mileage while taking in a part of the Strip that I’ve had yet to visit.
Here’s the dirty, nitty-gritty:
Once I got past THE RIVIERA RESORT the neighborhood got very seedy, very quickly.
It was still early, probably about 7:15am, but there weren’t many folks around. Even though I never left the Strip [Las Vegas Boulevard], people were few and far between. In fact, the last folks I passed before I got to the newly closed SAHARA HOTEL AND CASINO, were a group of male runners heading South. [I was headed North.]
It was too early for the locals to be heading to work and too early for the tourists to be out.
When possible, I choose to run on the sidewalk – some walkways in front of the Vegas Resorts are diverted in towards the buildings so to entice folks inside.
I had a brief unfortunate incident that didn’t necessarily frighten me, but it was unsettling. Just before I got to the Sahara, I realized that even though the resort was closed and gated, I still had to run through the walkway headed in toward the buildings. Other than the traffic busy Strip, there wasn’t an alternative except backtracking and crossing to the other side of Las Vegas Boulevard. [Click on the photo to enlarge…]
I chose to run through the walkway, because I wanted pictures! Probably not my most brilliant idea. I didn’t encounter anyone – but after I’d stopped to take photos, I realized that I had put myself in a dangerous situation should I see anyone unsavory.* There was thick landscaping so that I couldn’t see the street and a chain-link fence between me and the building.
That’s probably why I only took several photos – I ran FAST through the rest of the maze walkway and out into the clear again.
I took more photos before going inside to take a coffee break…
I realize now that I wasn’t thinking clearly even after the coffee. I should’ve taken more time and looked around the resort to see if the Tower was open and gone up to see Vegas from high in the air.
But sadly, I didn’t. I regret it – but if I ever get the opportunity to get back there – I certainly won’t make either of those mistakes again.
On the way back, I ran the opposite side of the street and there were more folks out milling about. I darted inside a CVS store to get a bottle of O.N.E. COCONUT WATER to rehydrate once I made it back to CAESARS PALACE to sit on the deck near SERENDIPITY 3 and just revel in the morning and my accomplishment!
I’m excited to know that since this run – I’ve not only walked/run from the far South end of the Strip at the famous WELCOME TO FABULOUS LAS VEGAS SIGN to the Stratosphere at the most North end of the Strip, but hit a milestone of 401 miles since beginning this crazy running adventure in March of 2011!!
Training in earnest for the PITTSBURGH HALF MARATHON 2012 begins tomorrow…
*I’ve lived in New York City – I have learned to be keenly aware of my surroundings. Trust me, my Spidey-Senses still work!
I wish I could explain how relaxing it is – quiet – so quiet I can hear my heartbeat.
I can feel my muscles rejuvenating and relaxing. It’s also not bad for my skin.
Although the weather has been mild, I wish I could tell you how WONDERFUL it’s been to just go once/twice a week and soak in all that warmth.
I also do the WHIRLPOOL JACUZZI after, but it’s really the steam room I feel gives me the most benefit for muscle recovery. I tell you, I could limp in there, lie down on a towel and within 5 minutes the muscles are completely relaxed and supple.
I only wish I could take a glass of wine.
Oh hey – good idea!
Don’t worry, I’ll put it in a plastic container…Geesh.
Today was a cross-training day: 1 MILE WALK ON THE TRACK, 30 LAT PULL DOWNS 65 LBS and 12 MINS UPPER ARM CYCLE.
Great way to rest after yesterday’s 3.70 MILE RUN OUTDOORS ON THE TRACK. In the middle of WINTER it was 55 degrees. I absolutely had to get outside and enjoy it.
Next week when I’m in Vegas, I’m planning a DESTINATION RUN FROM THE FLAMINGO -- THE STRATOSPHERE. I’m looking forward to it!
I exceeded my January goal of 25 miles by about 8 miles and I’m happy with that – I still have a lot more mileage to put up before I feel comfortable knowing that I can complete 13.1 miles all at one time.
Tomorrow is another day!
