I just started running again.
I'm sure my physical therapist will be so pleased, I hear he is looking to buy a new car.
ANYWAY, way back in the day (am I old enough to say that?) I used to loove to run. That's all I did. And I was pretty good at it, I averaged around 30 to 35 miles a week. My long runs were anywhere from 8 to 10 miles. But due to my overly obsessive nature when it comes to exercise, I managed to injure myself. Repeatedly. So I had to kind of give up on the idea of being a runner.
So, then there were other things I did along the way; triathlon, cross country racing on my mountain bike, a few (very few) cyclocross races...eh. That was fun. For awhile. But once you do a few races, you're not a beginner anymore, and just finishing is not good enough. You want to get better, and that takes training. I'm kind of not into training at the moment.
I still love being on my bike, but after having so much fun riding in Tahoe, mountain biking in the bay area seems a little blah at the moment. It's just not the right trail, or the right people. And at the moment I'm kind of stuck in limbo between beginner and intermediate. Good enough to ride most trails, but not fit enough to keep up with the really good mountain bikers. And riding these days kind of seems like a chore.
So the other day I put on my running shoes, headed out doors, and remembered how much I really love to run. It's just you and your feet, and maybe your ipod. And once you settle into a rhythm, your brain is free to think all kinds of crazy stuff. Running is great for figuring stuff out, or just spacing out all together. Try and do that on a mountain bike. You'll end up riding into a tree.
And the best part of running; I can do it all by myself. I don't need tons of equipment, it's mostly free. I can be out the door in less than five minutes, and I can do it anywhere I want.
Pulling out the running shoes is fate I'm sure, because I just got our entry form to the 22nd Annual Palo Alto Moonlight Run and Walk!
"Sometimes courage does not roar. Sometimes it's the quiet voice at the end of the day saying "I will try again tomorrow".
2 comments:
Give yourself permission to be a beginner, E. It's a tough one, especially for intellectual women, but you need to do it. Having done a couple of races does not mean you need to be an intermediate rider. There's lots to learn and lots of fitness to gain. You've been riding for less than two years, right? Give yourself permission to be a beginner.
You're running again!! WooHoo!! There may be a half marathon in you yet. By the way - 30-35 miles a week would be overtraining to me - no wonder you got injured. I'm more of a 20 mile /wk kinda girl. So anyways, my half is on the 20th. Care to join me? *g*
Post a Comment