Tonight, I Ran

I went for a run tonight. First time since IMAZ. I can't believe it has only been two and a half weeks since that race, as it seems a lifetime ago. The 2.5 weeks preceding the race flashed by in a blur, so why has the 2.5 weeks since then moved at a pace on par with glaciers retreating? (before climate change of course). I feel like these last few weeks should be given their own spot on the geological time scale.

I haven't done anything since Ironman. I've taken the dog out for walks in the woods, but nothing that I would consider actual "training" or "exercise". The break has been nice, but it's time to get moving again. Tonight my choices were the pre-P90X (my winter project) fit test, or a run. The fit test seemed like more effort than I really cared for at the moment, but the weather was not conducive to running. So I hemmed-and-hawed for about an hour. I was leaning towards the run, but it was cold, windy, and rainy outside. Rainy doesn't quite sum it up, more like torrential downpour. I opened the door to check the weather, and could literally hear the meows and woofs as the cats and dogs fell from the sky.

Still, I was eyeing my winter running clothes that I hadn't yet worn this year, and decided that the run would win. I added a jacket, hat (which I almost never wear running as for some reason my head get claustrophobic and much prefers a visor), and gloves. I'll admit the gloves may have been a touch overkill, but oh how I like toasty digits. I didn't wear a watch or my ipod. It didn't matter how long I was running for, or where I was going, or fast (read: slow) I was moving. This wasn't going in the training log.

I stepped out the door and simply ran. No thought to pacing, training, no watch to look at, nothing on my mind at all. No visualization, no cares. (Incidentally, why did I spend so much training time visualizing the last 2 km of the race? They were easy. It was kilometers 30-40 that were the difficult part. I'll have to remember that for 2012. Umm. Yes, I said it, I will be toeing the line back in Tempe in 2012.) I wasn't even thinking about how hard it was raining, in fact I didn't even think it was that bad until I got home and Jason laughed at how soaked I was.

Near the end of my run, a neighbour down the road was standing on his porch, smoking. As I went by, he called out "nice night for a jog" like I was the crazy one. But you know what, any night is a nice night for a run. Wet or dry, hot or cold, what does it really matter? And now that I'm done my run, I think it's a nice night to make cookies and watch tv on the couch.

1 comment:

  1. 2.5 weeks before the race all you could think about was not training and now look at you out training! so much easier when you want to do it and don't feel you have to do it!

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