One foot in front of the other
I need to admit something.
It’s kind of silly.
It’s just that… Wow, this sounds so dumb, but… I was kind of afraid to go running today.
See, silly, right?
I was feeling a lot better than yesterday, but still not 100%. So I kind of thought about not running. I mean, when you’re sick, your body needs rest. And I run all the time, so what’s the difference if I skip a day or two. I’ll be back out there on Saturday at 7 am (and remind me to talk about how not cool I am with this whole 7 am thing) with Team in Training. It’s not like I’m going to fail at this marathon thing just because of one little run.
Except.
Except I hadn’t really run since LAST Wednesday, unless you count Saturday’s abortive attempt, which I kind of don’t. And this Saturday, my running buddy (she needs a name. Let’s call her Lady Fab) will be on vacation. I have other friends at Team in Training, but Lady Fab and I, well, we keep each other going. Ten miles is still pretty scary, especially since I feel a little like I’ll be facing it alone.
And if I don’t run this week, for a whole week, then what if I can’t anymore? I’m still completely amazed by the shape that I’m in, and the amount I can run without getting winded or my legs falling off. But that was last week. That was when I, you know, actually ran sometimes.
So I was scared to run today, and to find out that I can’t anymore. What if I hit the hills and they hit back?
But I was even more scared NOT to run. Not just because of the impact it would have on my fitness, but because every time I cut myself some slack, it gets easier to keep slacking.
So I ran. I just put on my sweats and sneakers, walked out the door, and figured I’d see what happened.
And you know what? It was fine. My legs were all, “Don’t worry, baby, we’ve got you covered.” And my lungs were like, “Don’t even give us a second thought. We’re so on top of this.” And Madonna and Prince and Guns ‘N Roses kept singing, and I kept going.
You know what’s funny? Look how much more I have to talk about when I’m feeling kind of down. But actually, writing is therapeutic. And you know what else is therapeutic? Running. And also? Facing your fears.
It’s kind of silly.
It’s just that… Wow, this sounds so dumb, but… I was kind of afraid to go running today.
See, silly, right?
I was feeling a lot better than yesterday, but still not 100%. So I kind of thought about not running. I mean, when you’re sick, your body needs rest. And I run all the time, so what’s the difference if I skip a day or two. I’ll be back out there on Saturday at 7 am (and remind me to talk about how not cool I am with this whole 7 am thing) with Team in Training. It’s not like I’m going to fail at this marathon thing just because of one little run.
Except.
Except I hadn’t really run since LAST Wednesday, unless you count Saturday’s abortive attempt, which I kind of don’t. And this Saturday, my running buddy (she needs a name. Let’s call her Lady Fab) will be on vacation. I have other friends at Team in Training, but Lady Fab and I, well, we keep each other going. Ten miles is still pretty scary, especially since I feel a little like I’ll be facing it alone.
And if I don’t run this week, for a whole week, then what if I can’t anymore? I’m still completely amazed by the shape that I’m in, and the amount I can run without getting winded or my legs falling off. But that was last week. That was when I, you know, actually ran sometimes.
So I was scared to run today, and to find out that I can’t anymore. What if I hit the hills and they hit back?
But I was even more scared NOT to run. Not just because of the impact it would have on my fitness, but because every time I cut myself some slack, it gets easier to keep slacking.
So I ran. I just put on my sweats and sneakers, walked out the door, and figured I’d see what happened.
And you know what? It was fine. My legs were all, “Don’t worry, baby, we’ve got you covered.” And my lungs were like, “Don’t even give us a second thought. We’re so on top of this.” And Madonna and Prince and Guns ‘N Roses kept singing, and I kept going.
You know what’s funny? Look how much more I have to talk about when I’m feeling kind of down. But actually, writing is therapeutic. And you know what else is therapeutic? Running. And also? Facing your fears.
posted by Noames at 8:49 PM
2 Comments:
Putting on the shoes and simply walking out the door is the secret to success. Also, I have found that some of my best runs have occurred after taking 5 or more days off (for whatever reason). It has convinced me that allowing time for recovery is as important as focusing on training. I agree -- writing and running are therapeutic.
Go you!
Don't you just love it when you have good back up? Your body had you covered and now you're back on track and ready for the weekend run. How sweet.
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