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- The Beginning
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- Kirsten and Silvia Ready to Start the 5 miler
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- I just finished 5 miles! Yippee!
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- The Finish
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- Well worth running 5 miles for!
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- We thought our faces weren’t red!
I woke up at 3:47am this morning with insomnia. I was upset because I knew that at 8 am I was running a 5 mile race with Kirsten. I lay in bed awake, trying to force myself to relax. But we all know trying to force yourself to sleep only leads to more anxiety…two hours later I got up and made coffee. Ohhh I love that smell. I made Decaf because I thought that caffeinated coffee would make me have to go during the race. I have a bladder control problem. I will be running and I will have the sudden urge, and there is nothing worse than running and holding it. Having to go the bathroom becomes all consuming. Those are the moments I wish I was a dog and could just lift my leg and let nature take its course.
At 7:03 I picked up Kirsten and away we went to the 5 miler. It began to rain and although I had misgivings about wearing a white T-shirt in the rain, I did have on my trusty new under armor so I knew nothing would show too bad. It was a good run. The rain kept us cool and the puddles were a welcome relief to our hot feet. The trail went 2 miles through the MetroParks so it was interesting…we had to dodge some horse poop along the bridle path but that was kind of fun – like an obstacle course. We both finished third in our respective age groups and more importantly got pizza after the race!
On the way home we both agreed that our bodies are willing but our minds are weak. Running is a mental sport. The problem with “slow” runners like us is that we take longer so it actually requires more mental stamina to keep you from being bored to death from listening to your own thoughts. Everyone has their own mental demons to conquer. I remember having a half-mile or so to go today and I just wanted to stop; I thought about my students and how I always tell them that they have to do the work, they have to think, I showed them how but it’s up to them to do the work. I know how to run, one foot in front of the other , over and over again. I know how to do it. Now I just have to do it. Nike’s slogan is so apt…Just do it! Easier said than done. But it is that simple.
By the way I love my new sports bra. I felt supported and comfortable. Absolutely no chaffing. It’s a Champion Maia brand. Well worth the price.
