Dry Runs and Lost Children

The past 2 Saturdays have started with me running miles and miles in the rain.  I was so pleased when I woke up this Saturday morning and saw the sun!  I ran 5.5 miles.  It was a bit sticky but otherwise a pleasant run.  My running partner for the day was a lady named Glenda.  For some reason, I was really struggling in the last mile of the run.  Normally at that point, I'm OK mentally because I know that I'm almost finished.  It was surprising to me to have such a mental challenge.  I was grateful when Glenda continually encouraged me to keep going.  I love running with people!

Sunday I decided to meet the 5K training group. My plan called for a recovery run and I figured it would be better to do that run with a group.  My daughter, Ryann, decided to come with me.  The running group broke into smaller groups...the runners and the run/walkers.  Ryann went with the run/walkers and I joined the runners.  I had a very nice, easy run around Centennial Lake.  The loop is about 2.2 miles.  When I finished, the running coach, Meghan, told me that Ryann had kept going when the other run/walkers turned back.  So I figured I would run the opposite way until I met her and we could finish together.

So I'm running, and running, and running.  After a mile in the opposite direction, I know Ryann either took a side path and is lost or she turned back the other way.  I was praying that she turned back, but at every offshoot from the main path, I screamed her name.  After going another half mile, I started to run FAST.  I kept saying, please be at the end, please be at the end, please be at the end.

I came around the final turn and could see where the running group gathered.  I saw Ryann standing with Meghan.  I started crying.  Meghan yelled "I have her!"  I could only throw up my hands and whisper "yay, thank you".  She then yells "are you OK?"  I gave her a weak thumbs up.  Finally I got to them and hugged Ryann and thanked Meghan. 

At that point, knowing she was safe, I realized how fast I had run that second lap...and I was exhausted...but thankful that she was OK.  What a day!

Quick Knee Update

So I didn't run on Thursday and I will not run today.  My knee is feeling good so I'm hopeful that I'll be able to run my long run tomorrow morning.  I have found with my knee problems that it's so important for me to listen to my knee when it starts to yell at me.  Hopefully this time I listened early enough so that yesterday and today are the only 2 days I miss!

77 Days until the Baltimore Half Marathon!

Lesson #1 - You Don't Have to Finish

I met my running group on the track today for a workout I've never done before...partner 800's.  It was so much fun!  The first group runs a lap at an easy pace, the second group joins the first group and they run together for 1 lap at goal race pace, then the first group stops and rests while the second group runs an easy lap.  When they are done, the first group starts the process all over again.  It was so fun!  I was feeling good and hitting some nice solid paces.  Then on the 5th round, my knee felt funny...a few steps later it felt very bad.  I stopped and walked, tried to run again, and gave up.  I knew at that point that I would have to drop out of the workout.  I definitely would have damaged my knee if I continued.

I had knee problems when I ran track and cross country in high school.  My junior year of high school, the state cross country meet fell on my 16th birthday.  I injured my knee in the first half mile of the race...and still finished!  I was in so much pain and did so much damage that I was on crutches for weeks and eventually had to have surgery.  Stupid, right?  Well, it was always drilled into my head that you always finish a race...so I did...even though it was to the detriment of my physical wellbeing.

So today's workout shows how far I've grown. I can actually stop a workout even though every ounce of me wanted to keep going.  But I would much rather be able to run my long run on Saturday instead of being dumb today and being out for 2 weeks.

Plus I still ended up running over 2 miles of speed work.  That's pretty darn good this early in my training program!  I am so focused on getting myself back into shape and eventually breaking that 2 hour barrier in the half marathon!!!  So I'm looking at the big picture instead of stressing out over one workout. 

Not Every Step is Forward

The last year of my life has been a personal challenge for many reasons...most of which are not running related so I will not go into a lot of detail.  Let's just say that every aspect of my life has been upended.  We have moved, I changed jobs, my husband and I separated, and the kids have entered into and left several "phases" along the way.  Adding all of this up, it has left me with little energy or motivation to run.  My mental state and my physical state have suffered as a result of my lack of running.  I've gained 20 pounds and have struggled to get it off. 

So I have re-committed myself to running.  I joined a running group...FINALLY!  That has made all the difference in the world in my motivation level.  I am so thankful for my new running friends.  They have no idea what an impact they have already made in my life...just by being there and helping me to keep going.

A friend recently asked why I have not been posting on this blog site much anymore.  I responded "I haven't been running so I don't have anything to say".  He reminded me that there are probably other people out there facing similar situations where life has gotten in the way of training...or just running in general.  His encouragement has led to this post.  I have realized that in life's journey, not all the steps we take are forward.  My last 12 months have been filled with steps backward and sideways.  But overall, I'm still in a better place than I was this time last year...so I am pleased to see that more steps were forward than any other direction.

I am running again!  I am blogging again!  I can't promise how often, and I can't promise that all of my posts will be interesting...but I can promise that I will be participating in the Baltimore Half Marathon in October...and along the way I will take many steps.  If you are reading this and are interested, I'll do my best to document my journey.