Wednesday 7 March 2012

pretty. damn. fabulous.


Since beginning this blog I feel as though my creative self has finally woken up again.  Not since I completed my thesis have I felt so motivated to set goals, to achieve something, to produce.  Running and blogging seem to go hand-in-hand, partly because it is my subject matter, but also because running gives me an opportunity to reflect on what I plan to write and how to approach it.  So, every week it is with great excitement that I prepare for my next post.  

In terms of a running recap, on Sunday I was able to complete 3k with some difficulty.  I have been getting shin splints, so stopped about every 0.5k to stretch and was honestly overjoyed to hear the Nike+ announcer woman tell me that I had reached my goal and could finally hobble home to ice my shins; I have been in a semi-frozen state ever since.  So today, with great trepidation, I set out for a run.  I was anxious for the usual reasons (running is torture, just call me poop the magic dragon), because of the shin splints, but, most importantly because I was running with an experienced runner.  A friend of mine who has completed several marathons agreed to run with me, and quite frankly, I was petrified at the thought of it; I had no idea if I would be able to hack it or if I would just drag her down.  I have only ever ventured out by myself or with my regular running partner (henceforth known as Lorenzo).  Surprisingly, it was PDF: pretty. damn. fabulous.  The chances of me venturing off this couch tonight are approximately zero, je suis crevée!  We completed 5k, but here is the kicker – no poop breaks and I only stopped once and that was to stretch out my shins.  Can you believe this?  I feel like a machine!  What a treat to have someone to run with, it made the whole experience so much more enjoyable, we went on a completely different route than I am used to, and, I ran up a hill!  With tomorrow’s promise of 13C weather we are heading out again so as not to miss this spring-like interlude.

This is what my run looked like according to Nike+:


As the weeks pass I find myself feeling more and more motivated in terms of the running and the blogging.  I have received positive feedback in both regards from some pretty amazing people who have been encouraging and supportive throughout this process, and what a help that has been.  It is funny how life can still surprise you, I received an unexpected message from my brother, and aside from the obligatory brother-like digs, he imparted some profound words of wisdom that I have been carrying with me since I read (and re-read) his message:  keep up the hard work and the work won’t be so hard anymoreWhat a true gem that one is! I have been repeating those words to myself when I feel like I cannot do it anymore, so thank you brother for the unexpected kindness, you are wise beyond your years! 

On Sunday, with that very wisdom in mind, I signed up for a 5k race scheduled for March 25th, aptly titled, Practice What You Preach.  This will provide me with the perfect opportunity to test myself in a smaller event before I run the 10K in May.  After today’s success I now know I can definitely handle the 5k and if I keep up the hard work then the 10K won’t be so hard! 

2 comments:

  1. I'm glad your run went well. When I first started my blog it was about my running journey after a horrible car accident, but as time went on, keeping the blog became PART of the journey. Use it to stay motivated. Use it to track your goals. Use it to see how far you have come and how much you have accomplished. I'll be following along! :o)

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    1. Thanks so much Nikki for the advice and for reading along! I have been reading yours! It is wonderful to hear from another blogger/runner!

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