I have titled it "To Run or Not to Run" because I am not a lover of running but I seem to tie on the trainers often enough that people will consider me a runner. Most days I can talk myself out of hitting the pavement, the treadmill, or a local trail. Here I will happily share with you the mind numbing thoughts that often paralyze me and coerce me back into the comfort of my bed. I bet lots of you have the same thoughts! I hope you enjoy my stories. You might even laugh...I usually do.
Happy New Year and I hope you all resolve to Run or at least blog about why you Aren't Running as the calendar turns a page tonight.
Here goes the first post:
So, this
morning as only the faintest grey arc of light was emanating from the side of
the window shade, my husband burst back into the bedroom after at least one cup
of coffee wondering where I was hiding.
“Hey, if you are going to run, you had better go now as the weather
forecast shows a break in the clouds for only about the next hour.” “Hmmmm,” I sort of moan from a fetal position
under the covers. I had already turned on
the light by my bed indicating a start toward leaving my cuddly cocoon, but I
had already been thinking that at just before 8am on Christmas vacation perhaps
I might skip running, for the second day in a row. It is the holidays and the weather is
nasty. I was already woken by the
swinging of the driveway gates which had blown open in the early morning
hours. They were even creaking on their
hinges now as my husband tried to motivate me to hit the pavement.
“Oh,” he
reminded me, “you will want to remember your high vis stuff.” He left me still under the covers and hopped down
the steps with a bit too much spring on this wintry day. The reference to the “High Vis” gear does not
motivate me further. High Vis gear is
the running/Health and Safety term to describe the brightly colored running
bits that I own that make me look like a giant construction barrel but is
supposed to make it easier for others to see me. If I am going to need the high vis gear, then
it is still so grey outside that there is a distinct possibility that a driver
may not see me crossing the road on my standard route this means that the
weather is still rather suspect and consequently not so very inviting. However, knowing that I am supposed to be in
training for a half marathon only about 8 weeks away, I muster the energy to
get out of bed.
The run was
actually fine. I wasn’t breaking any
land speed records or even shattering a “PB,” but I actually went the
prescribed 3.5 miles and rewarded myself with a half mile cool down. It was in the last tenth of a mile that I
passed another stalwart runner out on this very last day of the year. I felt connected to this other runner and
smiled as she passed. I don’t think I
was wearing enough bright yellow (my vest), vibrant pink (my gloves) or
electric orange (my head band) for her to notice as she didn’t even make eye contact
with me…another runner. Perhaps she was
blind or perhaps she suffers from photosensitive epilepsy or perhaps I didn’t
strike her as someone out with a similar mission. If I took a moment to compare the two runners
on the sidewalk, you would see that one was very serious: she had on black compression tights and a
matching long sleeved running top and her hair bounced in a perfect fling as
her trusty Labrador trotted along behind her.
The other was red faced, wearing black sweatpants acquired at Costco for
a mere $7 topped by a Lands End half zip fleece that could top any outfit on
any day of the week not just for running but even for grocery shopping and
church outings. The latter had a
drooping ponytail and was walking toward the other runner having just crossed
the road. Is the one a more serious
runner than the other? Someday they may meet again, perhaps on a
starting line, and the winner of that race will be whoever manages to get
across the finish line before they tear down the race route. I am sure we both will, making us equally
serious about running.
Now, I
better stop writing and go wash my Costco sweatpants because tomorrow is
another day to hit the pavement…seriously.
Today's Run: 3.5 miles in 35:05
