Jokes on me

 

As I headed out to run, Andy was heading out for work. I shared my route with him lacking motivation. We got into a debate about the distance of my run. 

"It's a 9 mile route..." Andy confidently said. 

"No...it's way farther than that...I replied. 

Both laughing Andy responds, "OK! Let's bet dinner, If I win we get sweet meat tacos..." 

I curled my nose up at his hillbilly version of tacos, "YUCK" I thought to myself. However, I didn't give it much thought because I knew he was going to LOOSE!

The problem with winning this debate is worse than me having to eat nasty sweet meat tacos it was that I would have to run an extra 3 miles when I didn't want to run at all! The joke was on me. 

I ran hoping I was wrong. 

I ran in denial still pacing myself for 9 miles.

I also ran with no nutrition, no gels. 

I kept looking at my watch as my Garmin recorded my mileage closer and closer to 9 miles and farther from home than I wanted. 

I considered quitting but I had no way of getting back home.

I also considered slowing down, finding an alternative route and even stopping my watch and walking it home. 

Today, was my 3rd day running with an accumulation of over 40 miles. 

I was trying to keep sub 9's. It just felt awful. 

I finished my 12 mile run, chuckled to myself about my dinner options and of course texted Andy right away to rub it in. 

And like Andy and Doug both say, its doesn't count unless its on STRAVA! 

(Too bad I have my STRAVA locked down from even Andy!) 

It may seem like a lot of running but it isn't the mileage as much as it is the effort level. 

B2B runs (Back to back) are always followed up by a easy run. 

Saturday I ran 20 miles of trails and followed it up with 9 miles of easy trails and backroads. "If you can't converse during long runs than you are going too fast. Easy days should be 50-75% of the volume you run during other weekday runs" According to Bryon Powell (Relentless Forward Progress) 

I started tapering last week. My weekly mileage: 50miles down over 30 miles! 

This Saturday night is Red Moon run. I registered for the 10k and the 25k like a fool. I think I was a little over zealous. 

My training plan is spot on for a 50K. 

3 weeks out 50 miles.

2 weeks out 43 miles

Enjoy the Little things. 

On N. Holly road is a farm, the Mitchell Farms. This year they planted hundreds of sunflowers surrounding their crops. It  is breathtaking. 

Sunday morning, I was in the area and stopped and took a few photos.

Today, I made it part of my route hoping to take some more photos. The sunflowers tower towards the sun much taller than me. The flowers almost look fake they are so enormous. Rows and rows of these bright yellow and brown blossoms. But today when I ran there, a man was sitting outside the garden. I politely asked if I could take a photo. 

He said "The owners do no want anyone taking photos..." 

"Hmm" I thought to myself. I didn't rat on myself. 

But I stood there, I took a deep breath and smiled. I tried to photograph it to memory it was so impressive. 

I thought about that for a couple miles on my trek back home. Something so beautiful and it couldn't be photographed. Unbeknownst to him I had been by there a couple days prior at 6:30am and snapped a couple photos. 

In my angst running home, I thought about the lil things. The remarkable sunflowers. The thoroughbred  horses eating on the fence line, the eagles nest on the backroads. 

I searched for gratitude in my suffering and found so much joy in my accomplishments. 

I didn't play the "compare" card and make myself pouty or envious of others. I stayed present. I wanted to get discouraged at some of my yesterdays running routines but they are gone and I had to let them go. 

I have to find gratitude in today. In new things. In the present things. 

Like the sunflowers, sometimes we can not take a picture to carry with us, but its memory will always be there. Enjoy the moment. 

Anita~