Usually, I LOVE my runs. I look forward to them. I enjoy getting out there and moving. I enjoy the escape from the stress of every day life. However, I've had two of those recently... in fact, they were my two most recent runs. Both days I was really excited to get my run in, but once I got started my body just felt like it wasn't into it.
Saturday, my 18 miler, was the first one. I had been working hard in the new house for 2 days prior, and hadn't been sleeping well. Despite that, I was still eager to get the long run in. My body, however, apparently was not so eager. Thankfully, I had the company of Andria for 16 of those miles, without whom
Last night's run was the same. I'd been looking forward to it all day. Tuesday is always speed work day, and for some strange reason, I really enjoy speed work (most people dread it). It was about mid-afternoon when I realized that I had no idea where my running shoes were... both of my active pairs were missing in action. Heck, I couldn't even find any of my old retired pairs! And my Garmin was MIA along with the shoes. Ugh! This is not a good way to start it. Mid-search, I got a call from the vet's office, where I had taken one of my kitties earlier in the day for some issues, telling me her urine glucose was high, and they wanted to do a blood test. Ugh. Something else to worry about. My kitties are my furry kids. They are my family. And I definitely worry about them like they are such.
After a lot of scouring of the new house, a trip to the old house where we still have some stuff, and another thorough inspection of the piles of boxes in the new garage, I finally found my shoes & Garmin! YAY! They got buried in a box under some other random stuff. Though mildly frustrated, I was excited again! I can run!!
So I get dressed, fill up the water bottles and pack them in the cooler, and get set to head out the door... and the phones rings. It's the vets office again. Blood glucose is also high. Double UGH! Set a pick-up time for after our speed workout (simply coincidence that it was the only time they had available - I would have preferred to get her earlier). Now... off to the track.
And upon arrival at the high school track, I find that our group speed work is cancelled - the school is having a soccer game. Oops. It's that time of year again where we need to verify their schedule of events. Speed work gets adjusted to the 1.36 mile trail around the outside of campus. This trail is a combination of crushed limestone, asphalt and concrete...and due to the game limiting access to a small portion of the track, it also contains a grass section. Oh fun! (I despise cross country running.)
Hubby & I have about 40 minutes to get our workout done, so we opt for 3 loops, which should give us about 4 miles. The plan was to sprint a lap, then rest a bit, then repeat. I set out to sprint my first loop and immediately knew it was going to be a rough day. I wasn't even a 1/4 mile into it and wanted to quit, turn around, and walk back to the car. But I pushed on to complete the first 1.36 with an 8:03 average. Eh. Not thrilled. Thankfully, while I was stopping for a drink, my sister shows up to join us for what was supposed to be speed work. There is a good chance that if she hadn't been there, I would have bagged the remainder of the run and just waited by the cooler for hubby to finish his workout. Instead, sis & I pushed on together at an easy pace to complete my two remaining laps. Mission accomplished. It wasn't pretty, but it is done.
Moral of my story today - find a running group, be it local people you can physically run with, or an online forum you can go to for support. My long runs likely wouldn't happen if I didn't have my BRC friends out there with me on Saturdays. My other motivation comes from my online group (ROTE)... they offer a great place to boast about achievements, gripe about bad runs, and help others get the motivation they need to get out the door. These running groups are a great way to meet the running community, locally and throughout the world. (I have friends in my online group from all corners of the world - most of whom I have met in person at one race or another around the US.)
If you don't know where to start looking for one, check with your local running store - they can likely point you in a good direction. And if nothing else, start one yourself! BRC started with just a few friends getting together for weekly runs and has grown into an official RRCA club. ROTE started with a handful of runners & walkers with an addiction to runDisney races. Running groups can start anywhere, with any pace, with any number of people... and they can be a runner/walker's saving grace.
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