A Minor Training Hiccup
I run because I need to run. And the need to run makes me want to run.
Why do I need to run?
I NEED to run, because at this point in time I am a teacher who is right at the beginning of state testing who has gotten to leave her blue walled classroom for twenty minutes a day to take her kids to lunch. No planning period. No recess. Just seven hours in the same room all day with 29 kids who are the sweetest things one second and tazmanian devils the next. I may have to save a day each month/week devoted to the things that go on in my classroom -- without names and photos, of course. You think teachers make up the stuff that happens. I can assure you, we do not.
Yesterday -- Monday -- I really needed a run. I looked at my training plan, and saw Nike had me scheduled for a benchmark run. These happen every two weeks during training, and they have you warm up for 7 minutes, push yourself hard for 3, and then cool down for 5. I'll admit, I got bummed when I saw this. I wanted a long run where I could zone out to a podcast, but it's hard to do that on these shorter runs. Nevertheless, I laced up my Adrenalines and set out to run in my neighborhood.
My neighborhood is in the news often for its terrible roads. Sadly, the sidewalks are in similar condition.
(via Clarion Ledger)
I will be completely honest. From the second I started running, I wasn't feeling it. My stomach was making all sorts of weird noises (PMS does that to a girl), my body just felt heavy (that is the only way I know how to describe it), and altogether, I was unmotivated. I got to the fifth minute of my warmup, slipped in some mud, tripped over a crack in the sidewalk, and fell onto the ground. My hand got the brunt of my fall, but my hip is a little bruised. The worst part is, two people drove straight past me as they saw me fall. What if I had really been hurt and needed help? Oh well. The truth is, I was fine, and my pride was more bruised than anything.
I wasn't going to let that totally stop me, though, so I toughened up and powered through the 3 minute sprint. I couldn't tell how I was doing. My hand stung and I just wanted it over. Once I was done, I walked home instead of cooling down with a jog. I did, however, compare my benchmark to the last two that I ran.
Each time, I have run farther and faster. Even yesterday, when I simply wasn't feeling it at all. Progress is usually made, for me, on the days I least expect it.
Today was a rest day and I ate Zaxby's and I feel no shame. I'm off to curl up in bed for a bit, read a little Born To Run, and call it a night.
How do you make it through rough weeks?
What small thing do you do to bring you joy?
Why do I need to run?
I NEED to run, because at this point in time I am a teacher who is right at the beginning of state testing who has gotten to leave her blue walled classroom for twenty minutes a day to take her kids to lunch. No planning period. No recess. Just seven hours in the same room all day with 29 kids who are the sweetest things one second and tazmanian devils the next. I may have to save a day each month/week devoted to the things that go on in my classroom -- without names and photos, of course. You think teachers make up the stuff that happens. I can assure you, we do not.
Yesterday -- Monday -- I really needed a run. I looked at my training plan, and saw Nike had me scheduled for a benchmark run. These happen every two weeks during training, and they have you warm up for 7 minutes, push yourself hard for 3, and then cool down for 5. I'll admit, I got bummed when I saw this. I wanted a long run where I could zone out to a podcast, but it's hard to do that on these shorter runs. Nevertheless, I laced up my Adrenalines and set out to run in my neighborhood.
My neighborhood is in the news often for its terrible roads. Sadly, the sidewalks are in similar condition.
I will be completely honest. From the second I started running, I wasn't feeling it. My stomach was making all sorts of weird noises (PMS does that to a girl), my body just felt heavy (that is the only way I know how to describe it), and altogether, I was unmotivated. I got to the fifth minute of my warmup, slipped in some mud, tripped over a crack in the sidewalk, and fell onto the ground. My hand got the brunt of my fall, but my hip is a little bruised. The worst part is, two people drove straight past me as they saw me fall. What if I had really been hurt and needed help? Oh well. The truth is, I was fine, and my pride was more bruised than anything.
I wasn't going to let that totally stop me, though, so I toughened up and powered through the 3 minute sprint. I couldn't tell how I was doing. My hand stung and I just wanted it over. Once I was done, I walked home instead of cooling down with a jog. I did, however, compare my benchmark to the last two that I ran.
Each time, I have run farther and faster. Even yesterday, when I simply wasn't feeling it at all. Progress is usually made, for me, on the days I least expect it.
Today was a rest day and I ate Zaxby's and I feel no shame. I'm off to curl up in bed for a bit, read a little Born To Run, and call it a night.
How do you make it through rough weeks?
What small thing do you do to bring you joy?
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