Long Runs

I have signed up for the Spinx Half Marathon in Greenville in late October. I have run/walked a few half marathons before but I have never seriously put in the training necessary. While I was talking to my trainer the other day, he asked me what I was doing to prepare. … I was thinking about the possibility of maybe putting some miles in. I have printed out the running schedules. But I haven’t really put in the miles because of injuries. Last Saturday I ran 5.0 miles at the beach – 2.0 miles of running & then 3.0 miles of misery back to the hotel because of an improper breakfast & the heat & water.

Today, I had no motivation for a long run. I think I was scheduled for 9.0 miles but I am behind & decided 7.0 was better than 0.0! I had no motivation as I changed into my t-shirt & shorts. I had no desire to run as I put on two watched (the HRM & the Garmin). I had no desire as I laced up my favorite Asics over my favorite Asics socks. I sat down & ate a snack (a string cheese & half an apple). I walked out the door & still did not feel like running. I walked down the hill & out to the street & started to run.

I decided to stay in the neighborhoods because of the lack of shoulders & sidewalks out in the real world. And fast cars & dogs & no bathrooms & … I just liked staying close to home. I ran in & out of culdesacs, past a lunch following a funeral, and into the rain. I mostly ran, but when my heart-rate would reach 165-167, I would stop & walk for a little bit. I have been doing a lot of spinning classes, tried Body Jam, and did a little yoga. My endurance is much better now that I have thrown off the 20-pound jacket of fat that I wore everywhere I went. The misty rain made everything look lush & green & manicured. I mostly enjoyed the first 2.5 miles.

I crossed into the neighborhood across the street & said hello to Jared’s friend playing with some neighborhood kids. And I just kept going. I had talked to Scott about running for a while on the streets & then going home to finish out on the treadmill. At about 3.5 miles, I decided to just keep going. I thought about a quote by an ultramarathon runner (over 26 miles, sometimes over 100 miles at a time – crazy!).  “Run when you can, walk when you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.” I don’t think I was into crawling – I don’t like scraped knees – but when I was tired I slowed down & walked for a while. I had to add culdesacs to my path (sometimes long, hilly ones unfortunately). When I finally reached our house, the watch read 6.97 miles so I had to run back down the hill, down the block a few houses & back before the Garmin chirped a jubilant hallelujah at the 7.00 mark. I did not run one more step after the mile marker was reached.

In the end, I feel accomplished. Some people can go knock out 14 or 15 or 20 miles with the same amount of effort & time that I finished 7 – maybe someday my body will allow me the same privilege. But I am happy that I went out, stuck through the chafing, the hills, & the monotony to be able to say I DID IT! I still LOVE My shoes & my inserts & my socks & Glide.

I wish I would have taken a picture, but I was too tired & sore & disoriented to do anything like that. Instead, I took a nap!  It is pretty angry right now. I have tried ice, ibuprofen, rest, physical therapy, massage, and stretching. Next week? 9 – but I am in search of a flatter place to run & happiness for my hamstring.

Happy running! Thanks for reading my ramblings.