1201145k

 

Who feels like we’re long overdue for a run graph? (Picturing my #bestfakefollowersever waving their hands back and forth urgently, nearly clotheslining the person next to them like that obnoxious kid who sat next to me in 3rd grade. Only he did on several occasions knock me in the head and also told everyone I sniffed glue and claimed it was the reason for my lack of height.)  OK, dear friends, I am happy to oblige. 

For several weeks I’ve been dogged by this wicked cold that’s left me feeling like a ragged breathing, droopy eyed mucus factory. TMI? I dreaded lacing up today, particularly because it is around ass-freezing degrees outside. Even though I’ve been reading up on staying motivated to run during winter, and really not making excuses to skip runs in general, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t still take a bulldozer to shove me out the door. Also on my last two runs, my Forerunner has been a complete dillweed, failing to locate satellites and record my distance. For someone who needs that visual gratification of my footfall, this goes beyond irritating to deflating. 

It didn’t take long after I hit the road to realise that despite the colder temps, it is drier right now, and so much easier to breathe. Once I blocked the fact my hands were numb (I hate running with gloves, because halfway into a run, my hands always start to sweat, profusely) and snot was running steadily down my chin, I settled into a decent pace (ignore that point on the graph where it looks like I stopped, because I did not. There were kids and dogs and mud in my way so I abruptly reversed course). I’ve been running more in my Brooks PureCadence lately. I don’t feel quite as fast in them compared to my Mizuno Wave Sayonaras, but my pace stats show negligible difference. What I Iove about the Brooks is exactly what I couldn’t stand at first – the way the Nav Band at midfoot hugs and the tongue is attached completely on one side. I feel secure running in these puppies, and springy. In fact, it’s hard to keep myself from breaking into an all-out grade-school-sunny-day-pigtails-flapping-in-the-wind skipping-fest.

Anyhow, I had set a goal to run 100km in the first 30 days of the year (inspired by a passage from WITAWITAR). That is probably not going to happen, but we’ll keep shooting for it. Because in addition to getting a clearer head, I have started to see some other payoffs from pounding the pavement. I’m the lightest I’ve been in 15 years with the biggest guns I’ve had since I was slinging jug wine every day. Lest you think my head’s gotten fatter in the process, forgive any signs of insolence. I’m trying something new this year – being nicer to myself. With any luck, we’ll all benefit from a kinder, gentler, fitter, faster me.

A penny for your thoughts. Literally, I will donate a penny for every (non-SPAM) comment.

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