Maybe a bit dramatic w/ the title, but I feel compelled to share the update of how things went with my 2nd attempt at running today, since I left the last post on a somewhat down-note.. So, I was thinking...sometimes things work out in mysterious ways, ya know? As I wondered to myself throughout the morning.. "why didn't things work out this morning. Why am I so afraid of lightning. why...why...why do I still have 10 more miles to run today".. Well, I think the 'why' was actually to teach me a lesson & re-affirm how strong I am and how ready I am for the long race. Coming back from a disappointing run/workout is tough...coming back after anything that was disappointing is tough.. So I'm pretty proud of myself for not getting down or doubting myself & just looking at it as "maybe I just need to listen to my body today...& my body didn't want to run 20 miles this morning" (fair enough...few bodies out there do!). I was able to (correctly) tell myself that I know I'm capable of running 20+ miles, so it's not a matter of needing to do the run to prove that I can.. At this point in my training..these miles and workouts kind of feel more like 'maintenance', if that makes any sense. I really enjoy the long workouts...I do! Which is convenient b/c if the training was not enjoyable to me...that could be a pretty long day! So anyway, I figured I'd give the 2nd run the ol' college try...if I felt OK, good... If not, that's OK, too. So I took my nap (no, I'm not a toddler..just like my naps!) after eating some lunch, had a little something to eat with some water..just to fill my tummy a bit..and then set out for my run. I felt great! It was hot, but there was a nice breeze & even some cloud cover for parts of the run that felt quite nice (it's the little things that keep ya going!). I just went by time b/c I didn't want to get hung up on pace or exact distance, etc... Like I said before, I know what I need to do by now.. So I took my Gu's and my water and my watch & off I went! I stuck to my taking a GU about every 25 min, which is a little more frequent than usual..but I felt like I needed it & it worked for me.. So all good there. One little hiccup was that I knew I'd start to run low on water (I was running 90min in the heat of the day in the summer), but I usually re-fill at this rec center along my route...but it was closed.. NO!! So I remembered my wise, older brother said he always goes to a church b/c "they're always open" (he said always)...I tried every door, I think...locked.. NO!! So I was a little worried, but had enough to either head straight home, try the Vet clinic at the edge of my neighborhood, or look for a nice neighbor that might be outside w/ a hose... I tried the Vet's & the door said closed, but there was a lady inside that waved me in and mercifully filled up my sweaty water bottle for me. I was so excited by this that I gave out a spontaneous "yahoo" as I hopped off the curb and took off to continue my run (again...little things excite you on a long training!). So all in all, my run was bumpy, but turned out to be successful. I think the rough start to my day helped to show me that I can adapt, adjust, and come out the other side successfully when I'm listening to my body. SO important w/ all this training. We ask so much of our bodies through these months of tough training...if you try to override what your body is telling you b/c you can't adjust..you can really get hurt. And all the sudden, I have the Monty Python song (at least I know it from Monty Python...maybe it's from something else, too) "Always look on the bright side of life (whistle...whoo hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, whoo hoo)"...and that's what I'll continue to try to do!!
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