Quest for Endurance

After going out for breakfast to celebrate my Grandma’s 95th birthday, eating a plateful of french toast and drinking too much coffee, and then procrastinating for a few hours - I finally decided to go out for my ‘long’ run.  14 km.  Decided is a strong word, I was conflicted … should I run at all, especially after eating french toast; should I go out and see how I feel, pretty sure I was going to feel tired; should I run at a slow pace with my 10 and 1’s;  or should I go out hard and grin and bear it. Then I decided, just get your butt out the door!

I  ran nicely down the hills and with some mental toughness, up the hills ~ all while listening to Born to Run.  Ok Ann Trason, ultra marathoner, ran 60 miles a day effortlessly … not quite what I was feeling.  I was tired, it was snowing unexpectedly and I wanted to get home to FaceTime with my daughter in Australia. I was at 6km. Brilliant. Then a kindly old man drove up beside me on the country road and opened his window to chat … “so you are going a long way, I used to run, I could run for days without getting tired ….” “That’s great!” I said.  Really, for days? You and Anne are both great runners.  Was I born to run? The question resonated in head … find your pace, feel your body, pay attention …. enough already.  At 10 km I switched out to Adele, good choice? Not sure but my hands were too cold to be picky and Adele was at the beginning of the artist list.  So it was Adele who ran with me to end. Over all a pretty solid effort.  14 km, 1:17.  

Maybe I will listen to Born to Run while I drive effortlessly. 

Well, it has been a long while since I have written anything, I guess I just felt that I haven’t had much to contribute. Just plugging away at life, quite happily I might add. As I have mentioned before, since I watched the Chicago Marathon in 2011 my running world took a new direction. Although I totally loved watching all of the runners give it their all at that moment in time, I was frustrated that I wasn’t one of ‘them’. My reluctance to participate was rooted in my experience of running the London Marathon in 2006. (SO OK… that was 7 year and it is now time to get over it and train for another marathon!) 

Since October 18, 2011 I have been running everyday - every single day. Today is  day 489. I feel that is a pretty good base to plan for my next marathon (#7).  You would think that having run a few marathons in the past, that this would be ‘old hat’. NOPE! Every one scares me like it was my second (the first I just didn’t know enough to be scared). I am excited to finally conquer my marathon demons … I am ready to commit. I may not be super strong but I am disciplined and excited… I WILL sign up for the Chicago Marathon on February 19th.  Seems fitting as this marathon was a milestone marker in my running life.  I have already booked a hotel (we actually, as my husband will run it again).

My plan is to run a 15 k race in April and a Half Marathon on Canada Day (July 1st), and to try and beat my times from last year.  What I have learned during my running streak is that more running makes be a better runner.  For those who find the idea of a streak wrong due to no rest/recovery days .. trust me I have rest days but they consist of easy 3k runs a couple of times a week - infused with Pilates.  

The biggest challenge for me is to train my mind to believe I can do it and do it well and enjoy doing it … my body will follow.