I Run, Therefore I Hurt

and hurt, and hurt........ Are you sensing a theme here? Today's run was only 3 miles, but it about killed me. Two ibuprofen, nine hours, and a nap later and my legs are still aching.

In honor of my recommitment, I decided to brave the cold today and run outside instead of on my treadmill. I was immediately regretting that decision about 2 seconds into the run when my nose was running faster than my legs were, the wind felt like it was going to knock me off my feet, and my hands were turning blue inside my gloves. About a tenth of the mile into the run, I started having problems with my legs wanting to tighten up again, especially my shins. I even tried stopping to stretch twice, with little effect. The first two miles were pretty miserable, but by the start of the third mile everything was feeling ok, or maybe everything was just too numb to feel the pain any longer. At that point, I think I could have physically made it farther, but mentally I was too tired from keeping myself from turning around during the first two miles. Plus, my schedule only called for me to run 3 miles today, and an over achiever I am not.

When I first started out with my training, I was having problems with the motivation to run. I think I was simply pushing too hard too fast and wearing myself out. Every single day was like a major workout. Recently, I don't seem to be having a problem with the motivation. Most days I'm content to go out and do my runs, some days I even look forward to them. Recently, my problem seems to be convincing my legs that we really do want to keep moving forward. This is a new experience for me. My legs have never been the rate limiting factor for me before. It has always been my mind or my breathing in the past. I'm hoping I can overcome this soon, because it is pretty hard for me to keep pushing myself forward when my legs muscles feel like they are going to snap in two.

On a happy note, I did my run today in 32 minutes and 35 seconds. I know that doesn't sound very fast, but I stopped to stretch and tie my shoe during that time, and if felt like I was barely moving along for a large portion of the run. It seriously felt like I was running 15 minute miles, at least for the first 2 miles. So, I was happy to see that I made it in just under an 11 minute mile pace and it felt slow to me. I must be improving in my speed a little bit.

Runner's jokingly say that they keep running because they are too stupid to know when to stop. There is an ad in Runner's World Magazine pertaining to this that makes me smile every time I read it, and I just have to share. It says......."I'll keep running because it educates me. Before my first 5K, I wasn't even sure how long a "K" was. I was very glad to hear it's shorter than a mile." I remember that same thought going through my head before my first 5K. I remember thinking I can't run that far, and then being relieved to hear that it was only 3.1 miles. I think they do that on purpose to fool us. We get all worked up over the distance and then are relieved when we find out we get to stop much sooner than we thought.

In keeping with the too stupid to stop thing, I am going to do it all again tomorrow. But on another happy note, my training partner & I are not running the evil (his word not mine) tortuous (my word not his) hilly course tomorrow. We are opting for something a little flatter, but possibly longer. The jury is still out on if we are going to run 3 miles or 4. He's leaving it up to me. I'm leaving it up to my shins. We'll see.