Running

Even though I'm usually excited about days where we have to do long-distance running, I'll let you in on a secret: I hate running. It doesn't feel good. My body isn't used to that much bounce. I had terrible shin splints in the fall; now I usually feel something for a while in my calves, and then it goes away. I have to focus on my breathing or I'll get a pain in my side. I have to tell myself to keep going, although I want to walk more than anything.

BUT despite all that, I like the challenge. I like the feeling I get when I finish and I hear my time and it's better than the last time. I will be so excited whenever I run a 5K and I see 29:39 instead of 30:39 (something about that 30 minute mark that's stuck with me). Yesterday, we had one of our hardest runs ever. We did 8 rounds of as many box jumps and squats as we could, followed by a one-minute rest, followed by a two-mile run. Seriously. My legs did not want to run after that. It was very much in my head that I wanted to walk. But I didn't. I finished the two miles in 20:03. Three seconds! Gah! If I just would have pushed it a little harder in my last stretch, I would have made it under 20 minutes, or under 10 minutes a mile. I know I can. I just want it to happen.

In a couple weeks, I'll run the Truffle Shuffle, which is a 4 mile run. I told someone at work that I've never run 4 miles, but I can run 3 miles. If I can do one, apparently I can do another. I'm hoping to get in under 42 minutes. We'll see. I need to run in my own time, which is sparse these days. And it seems like whenever I might have time, like a Sunday morning (right now), it's raining. I also realize that if I live in Eugene, Oregon, raining is no excuse for not running. Another mental block.

I also have these aspirations of running the Eugene half-marathon in May. It sounds like a couple hours of torture, but I would feel pretty damn accomplished afterwards. I don't like running, but I feel some strange need to do it.