i headed home after work yesterday to try to enjoy a pretty day with a run. i didn't feel like running, but knew i'd regret not stepping out in the 60 degree sunshine with a light breeze and really regret it after the mexican food i plan on eating tonight. i remembered during the day that ALL of my workout stuff was in the dirty clothes since my run on sunday. surprisingly i did not remember to knock it out after my shower like my original plan. i checked in with alex and begged him to please please pretty please wash my clothes during your lunch. he did, but didn't have time to actually get them in the dryer. knowing that the hour of drying time would cut into my run pretty significantly, i mentally gave up.
lucky for me, on the way home i remembered a tattered old sports bra that would work in a pinch and pulled it out for the run. i took off, enjoying the breeze and the sunshine. i felt great, not runner's high great, but much better than i've felt in awhile. as i started to cross the first street, i looked down to see how things were going and saw that i didn't start my garmin. several expletives left my mouth. i knew that i'd gone about 1.2 miles at this point, so i could just tack on another mile to whatever the rest of the run was, and be fine. there would be no exact mileage/time/calorie count, which is beyond frustrating for me, but it's beautiful.
so i kept going, i made a couple laps around the school, still feeling good. 2 1/2 sides have a long hill and i was able to push up the hills without exhausting myself. still felt good, glad to be running. i rounded the corner and saw a woman running with her dog. she was jogging at a decent pace. she didn't look like she was pushing herself, but a random person on the street would consider her a runner, not just a part time jogger. i made it my goal to keep up with her. it was easy. my confidence boosted as i realized that if she looks like a runner, and i'm doing the same thing, then i have to. i loved my run.
i was halfway through my last lap. i was heading up the very last hill and saw a women pushing a stroller towards me on the sidewalk. normally, no big deal, we share the sidewalk, but that block has a lot of bushes on both sides. again, no big deal, i take off through the grass (next to the street, not on the regular part of the yard). as i pass the woman, i realize that i'm suddenly on the ground. someone booby trapped the yard to prevent runners, apparently. there was a giant hole covered in leaves about 8 or 9 inches in diameter. it wasn't even a dip in the ground, it was a full blown hole, surrounded by metal. the front half of my foot went in and i went down on both knees and hands.
i wasn't even embarrassed, just super confused. as i got up to see if i was alive, the woman just stood there. she didn't offer to help or even see if i was okay, she just looked at me with a weird smile. she didn't trip me, though that's how i felt at the time since i moved for her, but she really wasn't a jerk about things. i just wanted her to offer to help me up or see if i was okay. so i sort of dusted myself off and got the chunks of grass off my now green knees, and said, "well, i guess i'll walk home the rest of the way."
so i limped across the street, not really caring that cars had to wait for me. i hobbled for a few steps and then decided this was my beautiful running day. so i was going to run. i was about half a mile from the house, so i took off as fast as i could at a pace i thought i could sustain. i did pretty well, too, even if i slowed down quite a bit at the end. alex was in the driveway when i got back and wondered why i looked a little more frazzled than normal.
but i did it. and i had a good time. so what if i didn't know exactly how far i went? so what if i had no idea how long i was gone, or what my average and top pace were? so i didn't enter in my calories burned because i didn't know them? so i fell on my face on a public street where a new mother didn't take pity on me? i wouldn't take pity either. i wanted to run on a pretty day, so i did. and i enjoyed it. i wasn't wrapped up in the numbers, and that was okay. it helped me remember that running is fun. it's not just a time for me to burn calories, or punish myself for the extra piece of pizza i ate, or even just train for my half. it's about enjoying what's going on around me and running just to run.
so i did. and then i got to go to target, which makes life good. and then we grabbed chipotle, which was delicious as ever. we had a coupon for a buy one get one, which we forgot to use. didn't even care, it was worth it. plus now we get to go again this week before the coupon expires.
so i'm getting there. i'm a million times better about not letting things stress me out (especially since i changed jobs). and i'm working on looking at the big picture. in celebration of my new freedoms (or at least the process of getting there) i shall enjoy gloria's salsa and bean dip. and more importantly some good times with a friend. and even more exciting, i got to listen to the newly released sad accordion's ep. it's just as good as it comes. they make me so happy. i can't wait to see the show this weekend. until then, i shall run. but not today. today's a day to celebrate. tomorrow i will celebrate my ability to run.
lucky for me, on the way home i remembered a tattered old sports bra that would work in a pinch and pulled it out for the run. i took off, enjoying the breeze and the sunshine. i felt great, not runner's high great, but much better than i've felt in awhile. as i started to cross the first street, i looked down to see how things were going and saw that i didn't start my garmin. several expletives left my mouth. i knew that i'd gone about 1.2 miles at this point, so i could just tack on another mile to whatever the rest of the run was, and be fine. there would be no exact mileage/time/calorie count, which is beyond frustrating for me, but it's beautiful.
so i kept going, i made a couple laps around the school, still feeling good. 2 1/2 sides have a long hill and i was able to push up the hills without exhausting myself. still felt good, glad to be running. i rounded the corner and saw a woman running with her dog. she was jogging at a decent pace. she didn't look like she was pushing herself, but a random person on the street would consider her a runner, not just a part time jogger. i made it my goal to keep up with her. it was easy. my confidence boosted as i realized that if she looks like a runner, and i'm doing the same thing, then i have to. i loved my run.
i was halfway through my last lap. i was heading up the very last hill and saw a women pushing a stroller towards me on the sidewalk. normally, no big deal, we share the sidewalk, but that block has a lot of bushes on both sides. again, no big deal, i take off through the grass (next to the street, not on the regular part of the yard). as i pass the woman, i realize that i'm suddenly on the ground. someone booby trapped the yard to prevent runners, apparently. there was a giant hole covered in leaves about 8 or 9 inches in diameter. it wasn't even a dip in the ground, it was a full blown hole, surrounded by metal. the front half of my foot went in and i went down on both knees and hands.
i wasn't even embarrassed, just super confused. as i got up to see if i was alive, the woman just stood there. she didn't offer to help or even see if i was okay, she just looked at me with a weird smile. she didn't trip me, though that's how i felt at the time since i moved for her, but she really wasn't a jerk about things. i just wanted her to offer to help me up or see if i was okay. so i sort of dusted myself off and got the chunks of grass off my now green knees, and said, "well, i guess i'll walk home the rest of the way."
so i limped across the street, not really caring that cars had to wait for me. i hobbled for a few steps and then decided this was my beautiful running day. so i was going to run. i was about half a mile from the house, so i took off as fast as i could at a pace i thought i could sustain. i did pretty well, too, even if i slowed down quite a bit at the end. alex was in the driveway when i got back and wondered why i looked a little more frazzled than normal.
but i did it. and i had a good time. so what if i didn't know exactly how far i went? so what if i had no idea how long i was gone, or what my average and top pace were? so i didn't enter in my calories burned because i didn't know them? so i fell on my face on a public street where a new mother didn't take pity on me? i wouldn't take pity either. i wanted to run on a pretty day, so i did. and i enjoyed it. i wasn't wrapped up in the numbers, and that was okay. it helped me remember that running is fun. it's not just a time for me to burn calories, or punish myself for the extra piece of pizza i ate, or even just train for my half. it's about enjoying what's going on around me and running just to run.
so i did. and then i got to go to target, which makes life good. and then we grabbed chipotle, which was delicious as ever. we had a coupon for a buy one get one, which we forgot to use. didn't even care, it was worth it. plus now we get to go again this week before the coupon expires.
so i'm getting there. i'm a million times better about not letting things stress me out (especially since i changed jobs). and i'm working on looking at the big picture. in celebration of my new freedoms (or at least the process of getting there) i shall enjoy gloria's salsa and bean dip. and more importantly some good times with a friend. and even more exciting, i got to listen to the newly released sad accordion's ep. it's just as good as it comes. they make me so happy. i can't wait to see the show this weekend. until then, i shall run. but not today. today's a day to celebrate. tomorrow i will celebrate my ability to run.
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