Rain....Rain....Go Away
My fingers were crossed that the weatherman was going to be wrong. I was hoping it would not rain over the weekend. The week was beautiful and I was hoping this would carry into the weekend. This was not the case when I woke up on Saturday morning. I could hear the rain hitting the roof. Immediately I began to think what type of rain is it, a light drizzle, a monsoon, or a let's go grab the arc type of a rain? My next thoughts were on the clothing I would need to run 9 miles in the rain. I had decided that running 10 miles inside was not an option I wanted to entertain.
I checked with my run group to see if they were still planning on meeting. After receiving confirmation I had a pre run meal, grabbed my belongings, and headed out the door. By the time I left my house and headed to the lake trail we would run for the day the rain had let up to a light drizzle. Well alright, I thought, this is doable. Bring on those 9 miles!!!
You know you're a runner when....
Arriving at the trail it is always a pleasant sight to see fellow runners out and about. Even if it is on a early rainy Saturday morning. Pure commitment if I may say so. I met up with my sole sistahs and began our pre run routine. During our pre run routine, guess whose bubble guts showed up. Yep, mine! One of these days I am going to find that combination that works wonders to keep my stomach at ease. I quickly hurried to appease my angry GI tract. I prayed that it would go away and I would have a good run that did not involve me spending half of my time in the porta potty.
My other thoughts for the run were focused on my constant knee pain and swelling. Over the past two weeks I have been incorporating yoga at night to stretch and relax my body prior to bed. I can say it has been truly a blessing for me. I feel so relaxed after a yoga session. My body feels limber and in the morning when I wake up I notice that the swelling in my knee has subsided. Seeing that this was the furthest I had run since my last 10 miler race in May.
Easing on around the lake
My group's mileage for the day ranged from 8-10 miles. For some in the group this would be their first time running more than 6-8 miles. We began our run at a slow pace which allowed us to stay together and to encouraged one another along the way. The slower paced helped me to not overdo it early in my mileage. We ran for a good 3.5 miles before reaching our first stop. I tuned into my body and breathing. So far so good. After everyone was set we headed back out to run.
5 miles, 6 mile, 7 miles all came and went. My knee was feeling fine, but with each mile I felt my energy stores being depleted. Luckily, I packed with me enough beans and GU to feed me and 2 other runners. My run sistahs teased me about this, by saying "Geez K, you think you have enough GU for all of us!" What can I say....I like to be prepared on my runs. lol On this run I consumed my beans to keep me going. One at a time or I would be running for the nearest porta potty.
Mile 8 and we were still trodding along. At this point, the rain was coming in on again and off again spurts. The rain only added to the wonderful back drop for the run. Mix that with good converstaion along the way, and you have yourself a gret Saturday long run.
Mile 9-10.1 I was getting even more tired and ready to give up. Thankfully my sole sistas helped motivate me to keep going. Before you know it the run was over.
I can say it was a great run and one that I was truly happy to have my sole sistas along for the ride. I even got a kick out of my running with out my run singlet on. The singlet I had on was wet and I did not want any more parts of it near my body. So out went the shyness and I ran in my sports bra. Very liberating.
Looking forward to week 5 and all its goodness. Adios Week 4 of training.
Cheers!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Timing
Pound the pavement!! I thoroughly enjoy a statement like this. Especially when you go out and have a run that you feel as if your mind wanted you to. This is when the feelings you have inside you propel you to run faster, harder, stronger. You don't care if your breathing doesn't match your stride, you don't stop when your muscles tell you to. You just GO!
My run this morning turned out to be like this. It began with my not setting my alarm, but receiving a heavenly voice telling me to get up. I look at the clock and realize that it was past the time I was to meet my run group. I get dressed, grab what I need and hit the door.
As I began my run I felt my hip more than I should. Crap, I thought. This is not going to be a fun run. I checked my posture and continued. By the time I reached the first major intersection I noticed I reached it faster than normal. It felt good. I kept going then beep beep....man did I reach a mile already. Nope! Battery LOW! Booo to me for not charging Ata. I sure hope she held up until I was done. For a double check I started my run app on my phone.
In my keeping it going spirit I continued to run. Mile one passed quickly. Midway through mile one the thoughts started. When I say they started it was like a floodgate of my weekly thoughts came up, mostly in the form of life. When this happens I know I tend to do a couple of things 1.) slow down and/or 2.) let them get the best of me and I eventually stop. Not today. I wanted to keep going and push past the distractions.
I prayed and I asked God for help. I prayed that the negativity that was creeping in would leave. I prayed for continued strength to get through my run successfully. I was able to muster the strength with opening my mind and letting those inner thoughts come and go by giving them to God. I heard him tell me it will be ok, you are capable of this. Let Go of those things and people that hurt you. You do deserve better. This pushed me. Faster. Mile 2 came and went. I was near the home stretch. I didn't want to stop, but its always good when you are approaching a busy intersection. No use being a human pancake. Besides the break allowed for my legs to recover slight from the much faster pace.
Once I passed the intersection I picked it back up, but my calves were telling me they weren't ready yet so I walked some more. Only a quarter mile to finish my 5K I said this is it, be strong and remember its not how you started by how you finish. With that I mind I boogied my way home. That last push had me running way faster than I intended but this is where I felt all those emotions and thoughts fall to the ground. It was like they were dropping off of me and making me lighter so to speak.
When I hit my apartment complex I felt relieved, refreshed, and renewed.
KPos: Fought off the thought monster and pushed through for a quick run.
CDS: Ali In the Jungle by The Hours
As I began my run I felt my hip more than I should. Crap, I thought. This is not going to be a fun run. I checked my posture and continued. By the time I reached the first major intersection I noticed I reached it faster than normal. It felt good. I kept going then beep beep....man did I reach a mile already. Nope! Battery LOW! Booo to me for not charging Ata. I sure hope she held up until I was done. For a double check I started my run app on my phone.
In my keeping it going spirit I continued to run. Mile one passed quickly. Midway through mile one the thoughts started. When I say they started it was like a floodgate of my weekly thoughts came up, mostly in the form of life. When this happens I know I tend to do a couple of things 1.) slow down and/or 2.) let them get the best of me and I eventually stop. Not today. I wanted to keep going and push past the distractions.
I prayed and I asked God for help. I prayed that the negativity that was creeping in would leave. I prayed for continued strength to get through my run successfully. I was able to muster the strength with opening my mind and letting those inner thoughts come and go by giving them to God. I heard him tell me it will be ok, you are capable of this. Let Go of those things and people that hurt you. You do deserve better. This pushed me. Faster. Mile 2 came and went. I was near the home stretch. I didn't want to stop, but its always good when you are approaching a busy intersection. No use being a human pancake. Besides the break allowed for my legs to recover slight from the much faster pace.
Once I passed the intersection I picked it back up, but my calves were telling me they weren't ready yet so I walked some more. Only a quarter mile to finish my 5K I said this is it, be strong and remember its not how you started by how you finish. With that I mind I boogied my way home. That last push had me running way faster than I intended but this is where I felt all those emotions and thoughts fall to the ground. It was like they were dropping off of me and making me lighter so to speak.
When I hit my apartment complex I felt relieved, refreshed, and renewed.
KPos: Fought off the thought monster and pushed through for a quick run.
CDS: Ali In the Jungle by The Hours
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