Back On Track (Mostly)

It's been a week and two days since I've done my half marathon. It's also been a week and two days since running, period. Running 13.1 miles is brutal to a "newbie" runner. My legs hurt so bad the next day I could barely move, and doing squats in Zumba on day 2 of post-race recovery didn't feel too good either...thanks, Prof! :) It did help stretch my quads though, and as the week went on, all my pain went away. The itch to run again, though, did not.

I never thought it (running) would affect me that much. I had been hearing from other people to give my legs a break during post hm week, so I did. Then, my stupid, cheap pedo watch died. Stupid, cheap, pedo watch. Then on Sunday, while on a work-related road trip, I got stranded due to severe weather and had to stay overnight. Then yesterday, on the way back from same work-related road trip, I again got caught up in severe weather, and had to kick work into overdrive. 

Finally, today I made it back to the track at the Y, but not before a HUGE distraction...finding a NEW stupid, cheap pedo watch. Walgreens, nope. Mall, nope. Sporting goods store, nope. Bike/fitness shop, POSSIBILTY! UGH! How can I run without a stupid, cheap pedo watch?????? How can I track my distance, my time, my steps? I stopped counting laps a long time ago, because I lose count. One lap, two laps, three laps...wait, did I just do three laps? Is this lap four coming up, am I doing lap four, or was that lap four and I'm now on five? UGH!

"Just run," says a friend of mine. "I run without a watch, I just run because I love it." Huh...but how can you measure distance, time, steps by doing that? Maybe my stupid, cheap pedo watch is a crutch. My ability to count blocks during street runs is as pathetic as my ability to count laps on the track at the Y. 

This week off from running has also helped me get my head back into the game. That half marathon kicked me in the bootah mentally, physically, and emotionally. It's given me the chance to reflect on it, focus on what I did wrong, what I did right, what I could improve, and how to make myself get ready for future races, including my 5k Olympiad during our Community Olympics this Saturday.

"I run because I love it." Does that really apply to me?  I know I'm running because I now KNOW I can do it, that I've proven people wrong (including myself) who said I can't/shouldn't do it. I know I'm running because I'm afraid if I stop I'll never start doing it again. I'm running because I enjoy it more all the time. I'm running because I enjoy the community. I'm running because I'm now an athlete. I'm running...because I love it. Huh...whudathunkit?

I made it to the track at the Y today and ran without a stupid, cheap pedo watch. I didn't go too far, but I made it back to the track at the Y, regardless.

Oh, in the meantime, I'm still looking for a stupid, cheap pedo watch...sigh.

Zumbarunner...whether shaking it or running it, I'll cross the finish line!