Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Day 1 - The Quest begins

You know that scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off where Cameron is sitting in his dad's car in the garage and repeating to himself, "I'll go. I'll go. I'll go. I'll go." That is me trying to pump myself up to run outside. I literally have to spend an hour in postive self talk. I have to remind myself to breathe at regular intervals.

I used to run outside. Back in the day. Around 2004. I did it for close to 5 months in preparation for my first marathon. Here is what I remember from that fateful summer: having to lift my legs out of my car and onto the ground. My hips were so sore I couldn't get them out of the car. All I can think of is how everything hurt. All. The. Time. All summer long into the fall. I ran the marathon and qualified for Boston. I jumped on the treadmill to train through the winter.

It was miraculous. I could walk everyday without pain. I could get my legs out of the car. I could watch TV while running!!! I have one talent in life in that I can read magazines will running on the treadmill. I am always up to date on my celebrity gossip and I know way to much about movies and television shows I have never seen. This is how I get my news - the Today Show and Good Morning America.

Recent attempts to run outside have been met with resistance on all sides. My car was broken into and my purse stolen (along with a winter coat, a sweatshirt, a pair of jeans and my Frozen Four bag). I got crapped on by a bird. My shoes got dirty. I tripped and fell. I am much safer on the treadmill.

Not to mention all of my rational fears. Running in the dark. Being attacked by all types of creatures from humans to reptiles to birds to squirrels to geese. I am not one with nature. I do not like dirt. I sort of hate creatures.

I will not run in snow or on snow covered roads. Not worth the risk of injury from falling. Not worth the wet shoes, either. I will not run in rain. I have run in light rain, but I was trying to get done before it started raining. I ran too long. I will not run outside in 90% or above humidity. That's just gross. Especially since the gym is dry, temperature controlled, and air conditioned.

Its not like I've spent all of the past 5 years on the treadmill. I did run outside 24 times in 2009. I ran all of my long runs (weather permitting) outside in preparation for the 2010 Boston Marathon. I ran well in Boston. Well enough (though not a PR) that I felt really strong. I felt capable of running this marathon thing well. Well enough that I have started wondering how strong I would feel if I ran more outside.

Which brings us to May 3, 2010. (I realize I should have started on May 1, please see the opening paragraph.) I slept until 8:00am, took my time eating and dressing and drove to the trail head by 9am.

The ipod is loaded up with new songs (I heart you Glee cast!), the shoes still has the Boston chip on it. I look smashing in my pink top. Here we go.

I ran 8 miles. It felt ok - not stellar or life changing. I noticed that my comfortable pace (i.e. slow) was 30 seconds faster than what I would have ran on the treadmill. I was not attacked or excreted on by anything. I left my purse at home and my car was intact upon my return. My left hip had a slight pain by the 7th mile, but nothing I'm worried about - just the shock of asphalt.

Day 1 in the books.

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