Pretty Predictable

Guess what!

I actually ran today.

Truth be told, I was more surprised it happened than you all probably are. You probably just thought, if you thought of me at all, something like, “Well yesterday she said she was going to run today, so she probably will!”  No, see I like to think that I am a resolved person. If I make up my mind to do something, then I will do it. And that is mostly true. But there is one exception. And that’s when I’m tired. I’m the worst tired person in the world. I’m crabby and lazy and emotional. It’s not fun to be around.

But you already know that from past tired posts…

I’m going to be honest: When I got back from my job I had no plans of running today. I figured I’d just do it tomorrow (famous last words). But something happened. I don’t really know what it is, just like this urge or craving to go run. So I did.

It was really hard. Like insanely hard. It was a beautiful day for running though. It’s about 80 degrees but really breezy and altogether beautiful. But still. I hadn’t run for almost a week. And I haven’t really been cross-training unless we’re counting freezing in a pool for 3 hours as some sort of exercise…which I suppose that is pretty good fat burn (nah, I’m just kidding about that last part… 😉 ). I was a little out of shape to say the least.

At first, I was all like, “I love this! I love running! Wow, look at that: I’m running a 7:30 mile even though I haven’t run for 6 days! Well, aren’t I just Little Miss Athletic!”

That’s the first mile.

The second mile, I was thinking, “Okay Claire you can do this. Just listen to your music and zone out. Oh wow, look at you still holding that 7:30 pace. Well well well, aren’t we impressed!! Yes, we are.”

The third mile, I’m like, “So I think I should run four miles. If I don’t run four miles, I’m going to be mad at myself. I’ve got to run four miles. I’m almost halfway through my third mile anyways! I should just do this. I can do this. I can. I totally can. I’ve run farther…

OH MY GOSH I’M GOING TO DIE!!!”

Fourth mile, “Almost there. Almost there. Breathe. Run. Just run. It doesn’t matter if you look like a grandma runner (no offense, people), just keep running. Gonna die. Wait half a mile left. Turn on my pump-up song (Pretty Girl Rock)! I can do this. Heyy and do the pretty girl rock… okay point-one-five of a mile to go.”

And then there’s this hill I have to run up at the end of my route. It is not steep. But at this point, it is a killer. I feel that burn of an empty stomach. Running running running.

And done.

And I can barely breathe but WHO CARES? Cause I just finished four miles! That’s one extra mile than required by my coach during every run.

And now, I feel fantastic. As I always do.

And I’m so glad I went. As I always am.

Pretty predictable.

WHO CARES?

😉

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A Truly Bubbly Post

So today I would like to talk a little bit about bumps.

Er, no.

Not bumps.

Like walls.

You know how people will be like, “UGH! I hit a wall in my training!” Or their school, or their job, or whatever they are having issues with.

Kinda like, a hill that they can’t get over?

Everything seems to be getting harder, or just staying the same.

Well, I can relate to that.

Because you see, this is exactly, and I mean, EXACTLY, what running is.

You start out and you stink.

So obviously from there you can only get better and better. But then, after awhile, you hit a wall, so to speak, and you don’t seem to be  improving and it’s kinda disheartening.

You see, after my half marathon, I REALLY declined. I mean I hurt my knee so I had to take a break. So, I went from thirteen miles to three miles. And then, winter came. And unlike last year, I did run through this winter. But I hate running in the winter. And I never really get better at running during that time…

So this spring has come as a serious surprise to me.

I was expecting it to be the time to get serious, maybe shave a couple seconds off my PR, add a couple miles.

But not get fast.

I mean, YES I WANT to be fast, but I didn’t really think it would happen like this.

I guess I figured that over the years I would eventually get down to a faster pace and maybe be able to snag a scholarship for college. But, I still had three years for that.

But nope! Here I am, running fast. Running hard. Being in better shape than ever. Am I gloating? Am I glowing? I’m sorry. I just had a fantastic running day.

Okay, so here’s how it all started. Last night. I’m laying in my bed, drifting off to sleep, making plans of grandeur for my running tomorrow (which would be today). See, this is what I was thinking: “I should run nine miles tomorrow!” I kid you not. Where did I come up with the idea that I would be able to run nine miles? I have no idea. I get these weird energy spurts at night time. I am going to do one of those midnight runs some time cause I would rule.

Anyways. This morning I dragged my sugar-stupored (go away, red squiggly lines, that is TOO a word), tired self out of my comfortable, warm bed. And I did not have one single molecule inside of me that wanted to run even one mile, much less six (or nine).  But, by the time I got to biology class, I had convinced myself that I was going to run today. Whether or not I truly wanted to. So, at two-ish I figured I might as well get it over with. So, I went.

It was a beautiful day for running. The wind was a bit strong but other than that it was great.

I knew I was running too fast but I couldn’t stop.

I even felt like I was going slow but I was running a 7 minute pace. Then I slowed to a 7:18 pace for the rest of my run. I PR’d at three miles and told myself that I could slow down now. If I had run a 9-minute pace I still would have an overall average pace of 8 minute miles. So, I “slowed down”. But I didn’t. I kept running a 7:18 pace. At one point, I was running into the wind and it picked me up and blew me BACKWARDS, but other than that the wind wasn’t that bad.

It felt awesome.

Well, I was doing it a horrible-awesome. After I finished, a satisfying-awesome. And now? An awesome-awesome.

So what are the results?

My 5K is 21:39 and my 8K is 37:36.

And this goes to show that all you need to do is get over the hill. And then, you’re home free! 🙂

Rock on!