Long-Weekend Warrior

This weekend we attended a wedding out of town. We planned to leave early in the morning in order to make the two hour drive, settle into the hotel and still have time to make ourselves up in our formal clothing before the wedding. So, I set the alarm and woke up an hour earlier than necessary and made sure that I got in the 15 minute run scheduled for that day. It ended up probably being the run that I’ve enjoyed the most so far; it was short, it was in the early morning shade, and I was proud of following though - not letting the events of the day be an excuse not to get my run in.

I was surprised how my body quickly adjusted during the early run. I was expecting my body to be stiff and difficult to maneuver over the small hills and cracks in the pavement. Instead, my body was quickly just as alive as it is during an evening run. The morning benefits were evident though - less people walking around and no heat from the sun. I am still not convinced that my current morning routine will allow for morning runs but I may give this some additional thought sometime. There is a sense of joy and pride in starting my day well after I’ve tackled the pavement.

Yesterday I did my first 25 minute run - the longest run of this training program so far. Somewhere in between the 15 and 20 minute mark I was pushing hard up an incline and I felt my body starting to give out. I had to immediately think about picking up my feet and pushing forward. I kept repeating to myself, “You can do it. Keep going. You can do it. Keep going.” Once the rhythm of my feet matched the words that I was repeating in my head I was able to keep myself in a trance long enough to reach the top of the incline and start the lap over again. This was the first time that I really experienced any sort of physical resistance since I started this training. I will be sure to keep this mantra at hand for the next time. No doubt that there will be a next time.

The run yesterday also taught me the value of drinking water. Over the weekend on our small trip I drank very little water. I was busy drinking cider, sugary fruity drinks, Slurpees or tea. And after my run yesterday I lay on my living room floor for a while to catch my breath and cool off. When I picked myself off the ground I had a hard time standing straight because the backs of my calves were tight and stung with a pulling pain. I am pretty sure that I can prevent little pains like this with drinking enough water. My long-weekend wedding festive eating and drinking has come to an end. 

I will be faced with another challenge today because I have a 20 minute run scheduled and It is pouring rain outside. I haven’t had to face the rain yet. I am all comfy and cozy inside still in holiday mode and I will have to motivate myself to get out there in the cold. I am going to wait a little while longer to see if the rain will slow down some. 

I am proud of myself for not letting the long-week festivities be an excuse to not follow though. And, I faced some of the greater challenges so far in this training - in my books, I am coming out of this weekend as the Long-Weekend Warrior. Roar.