National Runners Day...Buckle down....

I was so excited to embrace the day for my Run. Seeing how it was a sorta holiday...I figured I would make the most out of celebrating to the fullest.

Preparing to Run...Rolling the IT BAND with Trigger Point Roller

TODAY'S GOAL:7 MILES..came short Garmin issues.. 6.91 MILES. UNDER 7:44 MINUTE MILES.
TODAY'S WEATHER AT 9AM: 72 degrees Pure SUN. strong CROSS WIND.
TODAY'S CHALLENGES: iPOD Aggravation, Auction on N Holly road obstruction traffic.
TODAY'S RUN DEFINED....RUNNING WITHOUT BRAINS!
I take off with everything in check. Potential for perfection.
The First Mile I always struggle a bit trying to get my pace balanced with my heart rate. I have an incline that first mile for an added factor.
Second Mile was my straight a way but also congested with traffic on both side of a already petite road. My pace was all over the place.
Third Mile was coming to my turn around. I did a "There and Back" route. This mile is bitter sweet. It is always exciting when you get to the "turn around" point, the half way place. But I had already told myself that I wanted to finish faster that I started. So this means I was going to have to put it in HIGH GEAR!
Fourth Mile was where I started struggling with finding some good tunes. My IPOD sticks. The forward button doenst work so I have to constantly hit the rewind button. Then the goofy rewind button when hit multiple times take me to the Menu screen and pauses! AHHHH!!!
Fifth Mile...WOOT Woot!! The breeze is refreshing. A little challenging but that was what this run was all about. I am coming down the shoulder of the road with a very large field to my right and a field to my left with 4 horses outside. I am on a slight decline. One to not get to excited about because it slowly inclines a few hundred feet farther. This last incline is one I am going to have to push through. My glutes are firing and I keep telling myself 16 minutes. I see my landmark. It is a mailbox at the top of the hill. I glue my eyes to that green mailbox and take a deep guttural breath. :come on Nita" I say out loud. "Go, Go Push through the pain, FOCUS." Again out loud I say boldly "BUCKLE DOWN,GOOOO" . I did it with everything I had in me including a SMILE!
Sixth Mile. The home stretch. Remember my first mile is uphill so this last mile is..Thats right..DOWNHILL!!
Finish strong. I thought of the pain and pushing through it to prep me for this weekends Race in Ann Arbor. You have to know what pain feels like to be prepared for it when it shows its face. You have to desensitize your body and prepare you mind.
Now funny thing is I must have looked at my Garmin a couple dozen times...but never noticed until I hit the stop button that Andy did not hit the RESET button after our Memorial Day Run! So it showed 11 miles not the 6.91 and my average pace was all off.
I so badly wanted to get upset. But I remembered that run just a couple days ago.. 92 degrees. I ran with Andy and we must have been  brain dead before we even started! To think running outside in the inferno was a good idea!  And if there was any brain cell that said  it was a good idea it was Fried in the heat to the point Andy forgot to hit reset on the Garmin.
ANOTHER funny thing about that Memorial Days brainless run. Moms partner at work said to her.." I saw these 2 idiots out running in the heat and I thought WHAT IDIOTS would be out here Running?. Then I got a better look and new it was our son and daughter in law!!"

Stretching the calves, Another Preparation t

Last minute thoughts - Where Running and Life Intersect. 

"Why do I run through all this pain yet I struggle with different heartaches, not wanting to run that pain down?"
"Anita why do you invite physical pain with excitement and challenge but struggle with people, places and things?"
" Do I work as hard at doing the right thing as I do my running?" answer "NO...WHY WHY WHY. I NEED to Work Harder, Try Harder,  Train not just MY body, but MY Mind, MY Heart, MY Actions. Train MY Faith, MY Integrity, MY Testimony.  Train it with all MY Might, all MY Heart and all MY Being."


Anita