So I'm a quitter....

Of sorts.  I quit the running group.  It just was not for me.  I'm a solo runner at heart.  I need my space and my head time.  I need to go out and set my own limits and push or not.  And I really need my schedule to be very flexible - if I need to scoot my 3 miles from Wednesday to Thursday then I don't need to feel guilty for it.  Finally, I need to not have a long run on Monday nights.  Sheesh.  Mondays are hard enough.

So, I'm running with my best friend, training partner, and soul (sole?) mate - my husband.  He is not really a runner - usually he bikes and is my support team with water and smiles to help me through my longer runs.  But he's learning.  And he's running.  Tonight we did 2 miles, and he pushed with me.  Not a bad time for a run neither of us was really into in the first place.  I will be so glad when we have light in the evenings again.  And when somebody puts the heat on out there again.

Tonight I had my first real car scare.  This large (Pathfinder?) thing came by, swung into a cove and was making a u turn in a rapid manner.  I didn't trust him, so I jumped up in a yard.  And promptly rolled my ankle and sat down.  Didn't hurt much more than my pride, but I might need some liniment for that.  I got back up and ran on, and a less than a minute later they went roaring past me again, with another car in pursuit.  I'll never understand people who see the need to play games of tag and chase in cars.  Anyway, made it home safe and sound, but will continue to be careful out there!!

Motivation

Sometimes it is so hard to find the motivation to run.  I know I need the miles, and to follow the plan, but this time of year is especially hard.  Gray day following gray day.  Cold and damp and windy.  And lots to do.

It's the to do list more than the weather that gets me.  Sometimes I feel like the only thing I can drop from my week is a run...or two...or all.  When life gets crazy, running tends to be what I ditch first.  Partially because I cannot run in the morning - really, can't, have to be up an hour before I run and that ain't happening on the week days.  So the only time I have to run is at night.  And when my weekends are full and my nights start to book up and I haven't seen my dad or my friends in ages.....the runs are the first thing to drop.

Right now with run group it is especially hard.  The group run starts at 6:30 and I get off work at 5:00.  So that is an hour and a half to waste before the run.  I like to get off work and go run before I sit down, because once I sit down and relax I'm toast.  I also don't eat before I run so I'm STARVING by the time the run group ends.  Sometimes I'm starving before we even begin.  And as the runs push into 5 miles....which is an hour of running....things get difficult.

Look at it this way - I get off at 5:00, usually stay until 5:30 at work putzing around, then run an errand or two and get to run group around 6:15.  I'm trying not to spend money right now and since we all know Target has a cover charge....yeah.  So I'm at run group at 6:15.  We stand around and freeze until 6:30/6:45 when the run starts.  Then we run for an hour.  So that means that I don't get done running until 7:30 ish and usually don't get home until 8:00 or so.  Then I am starved and want to eat.  And I need to get my stuff ready for the next day, and spend time with the hubs, and get a shower and dry my hair so I can sleep.

If I go straight home, change clothes, my hubs eats and I go run I'm out the door by 6 with him and we are back by 7:30.  Night is not a total loss.

I will be glad when this run group ends in 4 weeks.  It has been a real learning experience in a lot of ways.  I have learned that I am a solo runner at heart and I enjoy my runs alone, doing my own thing.  I have learned that I have what it takes to run in whatever weather as long as I feel like it.  I have learned that when life gets stressful, I want to drop the one thing I have a say in attending, which is running.

Funny thing is, I haven't regretted a run yet......

Valentine's Day 10k

The first two miles I really just wanted to go home. But by mile 3 I started to feel better. I told my husband I expected it to be 1:20 and I nailed it. It was cold and windy. Overall I had fun and am happy with my time. 2 minutes better than my 10k in September. Can't complain about that!

Running Track Like I'm in the 9th Grade

The last time I was on a track I was in high school.  I wasn't fast then either.  I remember having to run a mile in 8 minutes for an A, and for every minute you lost a letter grade.  So a 10 minute mile was a C.  Which was about what I was able to run.  I remember my mother telling me that I was not average, I was excellent and excellent meant getting an A.  So I ran my little heart out.  And I passed out at the end.  But I got an A.

Kind of the story of my life - I'll make it to the finish line, but that's it.  I can do anything I put my mind to, but once I draw a line in the sand I rarely cross it.  This far and no farther.

Running track repeats made me remember how much fun it is to run really really fast. Which I can only do for a really really short stretch.  But with work, maybe I can push that limit more.  My ultimate goal -and holy grail - is a 10 minute mile.

After all, nobody's grading me anymore and I don't need anyone else to tell me if I'm excellent.  I already know I am.

5 by the 5th

I've joined the 5 by the 5th Virtual Race Series.  I came on board a little late, and so I missed January.  But I logged my February time.  I chose to go with the 5k option rather than the 5 mile option, but I may scale up as we go.  I'm committed to running 5k before the 5th of each month through June.  I think I can manage that.  Hope so.

I did my 5k last night as part of the 3.5 mile run I logged - the 5k was 38:38 but I had to finish the lap of the track anyway so let my ticker keep on running.

Come join us!!  It is free to join and there are prizes: sign up here @mommyrunfaster

Something that doesn't involve fiber

So about two years ago I suddenly decided that I was going to run.  Yes, me.  Stop laughing.

No really.  Stop laughing.

So I worked my way through a 5k in October of 2010, then several other 5k "races" in 2011, and decided in 2012 to run a half marathon.  After a brief layoff due to injury, I completed my first 13.1 in November 2012.

I call them "races" because I am not going to win any awards for speed.  I'm slow, but I hope to get faster.  If I don't I'll just keep being slow.

This year's goal - to run 300 miles.   I ran 233 last year, and that was with an injury.  It's only 25 miles a month right :)

Because so many of the challenges I sign up for online ask for your blog, and my Medieval Needle blog isn't really pertinent, I started over.

So, let's run.  I promise it will be fun.