I have finally had a running breakthrough. After a week or two of sucky runs...I have finally taken the running Gods head on! HEres the deal people. When I first started running everything came easy to me. Everytime I ran I got faster, went further, etc you know the drill. Ever since I ran the half marathon I have not been able to get back to where I was pre-race. Each run felt hard....VERY hard. One thing I have learned in life is that you aren't in love until it takes WORK! This was premarital advice given to me by this nice Christian couple about 3 months before I got married. She said " The real love starts when it takes work to love that person." I always keep this in mind with my marriage on hard days, but now I'm applying it to other things.
When I first started running, we were in the "honeymoon" stage. I LUSTED running. It made me feel good, it wasn't hard, and I kept getting better. It was physical attraction....we held hands a lot and it gave me butterflies. It wasn't until I hit the brick wall and worked through some extremely hard runs and disappointment until I can now finally say.....I LOVE RUNNING! Well..its more a love/hate relationship, but you know what I'm getting at. Everyone says running never gets easy. They are right. ANd you aren't truly an athlete, and truly passionate about a sport until it takes a ton of work to pull yourself off the couch and work through those mind grueling runs. Me & running.....are pretty serious now. We worked through the BS...and we are ready to be committed to each other. With that said......
I ran 12 miles on Friday...it was alright (This was before the breakthrough). 2 Miles yesterday..just because I was bored. But yesterday I recalibrated my ipod to make it more accurate. I realized that when I ran the half marathon it said i went 14.2 miles...which is pretty off. I recalibrated it to be SLOW...so that I'm actually running a little faster than it says I am. This way I accidentally do a little more mileage...and I will be pleasantly surprised with my race paces. SO I thought todays run would be SUPER slow...since I had been having really slow runs lately...and on top of that...recalibrated my nike plus to be even slower. But here she is :
I finally managed to go back to my old running...of getting faster and faster as the run went on. I almost ended up with about the same avg pace time as I had been before.....eventhough my sensor is calibrated to be slower. So that is good news. Also it was like 80 degrees out...so it was a hot run..but I felt great.
I'm in love....
too bad this all came AFTER valentines day. Maybe I coulda gotten two boxes of chocolates ?
23 comments:
Great post and well said. I know I have experienced the same feeling towards running. Glad things are turning around. Great job on your run.
I like that quote. I may have to save it for future use.
That very funny and oh so true. I never really thought about it that way but it totally makes sense. The question is when will I get divorced from running and move onto triathlons only. Right now I'm just cheating on the running with swimming and biking. Biking is the hot blonde and swimming is the big girl.
Better bring some warm gear if you're running cleveland.
Running is the kind of lover that will always take you back.
Running and I went pretty hot and heavy all the way through HS and some of college, before completely splitting for a good 3-4 years.
We are back on at full speed now and she never complains at all, unless she is bringing up how much faster I USED to be when we were together the first time. :-)
Great post! I love the quote, and I agree with you that it's frustrating to not always get better. When I did my second half-marathon, even though it was in much tougher conditions than the first, I was still disappointed that I hadn't done as well. But I'm still out there loving to run, so I guess that's all that matters.
What a nice analogy! Great post. Absolutely I am always looking for people to help keep me on track. So, you'll be doing your first full in Cleveland? It was my first full and I did it last year. I am doing Cinti this year, so it will be my second. Hopefully it will go a little better this time around!
Last year about this time, that was how I felt. It was such an awesome feeling!
Keep it up!
Great reading...
Keep up with the training!
P
Great post and completely true!
I am glad I am not the only one who does amazing one week and then has weeks of crap runs. I hope I am getting close to being in love with it :-)
80 degrees sounds pretty good to me. I hope that you've come to your senses and decided to stay south. :-) Anyway, great job on falling in love again. :-)
Cute post... everything worth doing takes constant work. It sucks, but once you accept it... it makes everything you do all the better! Yay for those 12 miles!
(Hm, I tried posting but then my screen went all screwy. If this is a repeat, please delete. LOL) Thanks for the inspirational quote and blog! I have been feeling bummed because I've been so busy/tired that I haven't fit in a run since my half marathon... I vow to fit in a couple this week! Thanks! Have a wonderful week!
This was good to read. Keeps the struggle and sacrifice inherent in training in good perspective.
What a super cute post! I am glad you, and running are in a happy spot in the relationship :-)
I have a crush on running, and he is so playing hard to get..hehehe
Great post! You are so right that it is real love when you have to work for it. And we all have those hard times/runs...and the just makes us learn to appreciate the good ones even more!
This post is sooo right on. Some days are just brutal (ok most of them are for me :P) but the few runs that are great make it all worthwhile. That and the total calorie burn LOL
so....the running gods have been wining and dining you.. wooing you..and you have seen the light....the light step of a great run.,...
cool post christine
I took a long time to decide whether or not I loved running -- it was a lengthy courtship. I guess, in the end, I either grew to love it or I just got used to it.
Thank goodness the good days out weigh the bad days with both running and marriage.
Nice job, and great post!! 80 degrees?!? It's 0 here. Zero. I think I hate you. Just a little...
; )
Hi Christine!
What a great post. Running does go inspurts of ups and downs and there is certainly a point when you plateau for a while. What will get you past that and help you improve is different types of training like intervals, hills, and of course your long tempo runs. You have made amazing progress in a very short time and should know that you will get better as you become more experienced. The average runner usually improves for 10 years!~ Best of luck.
im so jealous. wish i could act on my love for running and in such awesome weather. but alas, i am off my feet for a month and its cold as tits here. make me jealous with all your love stories.
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