My List of Stupid Things
Right now I have something new at the top of my list of stupid things. Yesterday, after not having run farther than four miles in several months, decided to run ten miles. On a treadmill. At the gym. I watched one and a half episodes of Sports Center on ESPN, listened to music, and prayed that the hot gym manager would show up so I'd have some decent scenery. I also periodically prayed for survival.
Such prayers are new to me where running is concerned. Generally speaking, survival has always been guaranteed. I've taken a few leaps here and there, but deep down I always knew I could do it. I began yesterday's run with the highest of hopes. 'I can do this. I can. I've done it before'. Sure, not in nearly six months, but my confidence was high nonetheless. Mistakenly so it turns out.
I had flashes of brilliance, like at Mile 1 and again at Mile 5. Because the treadmills at the gym only allow sixty minutes of activity and I would be running over ninety minutes, I divided my run into two distinct sections. I ran six miles (in 56:35), stopped the treadmill, got a sip of water from the drinking fountain, re-started the treadmill, and ran the last four miles (36:??. I was a little too blown and to see how long the last four miles took me). The sections are distinct not because of the mileage difference. No, they are distinct because of the pain. And the accompanying prayers for survival.
Why did I decide to run so far on no training? It wasn't just stupidity. I have a cause. I'm planning to run as much of my four one hour 'shifts' at the Relay for Life coming up at the end of next month (twenty-eight days from now to be exact). If I can run all four hours at 9:15 pace, I will complete a full marathon. Yesterday, I kicked off my training by doing ten at that pace. Let me just say that I have a looooong way to go in the next four weeks. Go ahead and add 'Run a marathon on a month of training' to my list of stupid things.
At this point, my legs are fried. I am, however, thankful for my non-sedentary job. Sitting down causes my legs to stiffen so I'm happy that I haven't done much sitting in the past two days. I'm sure my near constant movement is helping is some small way. Let's just go with that. I know I'm going to regret my decision to write this the moment I try to stand. I guess we can add 'Sitting to write with sore legs' to my list of stupid things also. I should stretch or maybe do a little yoga? Only upon pain of death. God help us all, I don't do yoga. Ever.
Tomorrow I'm running again. Nothing as palatial as a ten miler. At least I hope not. The plan is nice and easy four miler at Town Lake. I'm breaking in a new running partner who is young enough to be my son and wants to be a Navy SEAL after he graduates from college. I like to say that I'll be doing to breaking in (thoughts do become things), but in my current condition I'm skeptical. I may end up holding on for dear life with whatever is left of my dignity and ego while praying once again for survival. Let's hope he doesn't leave me broken by run's end. He's a nice kid so I'm sure he'd offer to carry me back to the car, but I'd be mortified. Alright, add 'Run with future Navy SEAL two days after a shredding ten miler' to my list of stupid things.
I refuse to say that any of this is impacted by my recent birthday and newly advanced age. I can (and will) run ten miles, finish a marathon, and train with a SEAL at any age. Any. Try me. My hope, though, is that wisdom comes with age. I'm going to pay tomorrow for my stupidity just like I did Wednesday at about Mile 7 1/2. That's when the pain and near doubt really set it. Thank you, Jesus, for jumping in when you did. I was fading and trying to hold myself together with history and motivating music blasting into my brain. As in the old days, I simply refused to stop. Stupid yes, but you don't get anywhere by stopping.
So, tomorrow I sincerely hope I've got something left in the tank and that my Navy SEAL doesn't have to carry me home. I desperately want to put it to him and show him what an 'old' lady his mother's age can do. Let's hope I don't have to add 'Showing out to boys on runs at Town Lake' to my list of stupid things, but knowing me and my current level of intelligence, I'm not going to put money on it.
The End. Time to get up and move. Oy. I got this. I think.
Such prayers are new to me where running is concerned. Generally speaking, survival has always been guaranteed. I've taken a few leaps here and there, but deep down I always knew I could do it. I began yesterday's run with the highest of hopes. 'I can do this. I can. I've done it before'. Sure, not in nearly six months, but my confidence was high nonetheless. Mistakenly so it turns out.
I had flashes of brilliance, like at Mile 1 and again at Mile 5. Because the treadmills at the gym only allow sixty minutes of activity and I would be running over ninety minutes, I divided my run into two distinct sections. I ran six miles (in 56:35), stopped the treadmill, got a sip of water from the drinking fountain, re-started the treadmill, and ran the last four miles (36:??. I was a little too blown and to see how long the last four miles took me). The sections are distinct not because of the mileage difference. No, they are distinct because of the pain. And the accompanying prayers for survival.
Why did I decide to run so far on no training? It wasn't just stupidity. I have a cause. I'm planning to run as much of my four one hour 'shifts' at the Relay for Life coming up at the end of next month (twenty-eight days from now to be exact). If I can run all four hours at 9:15 pace, I will complete a full marathon. Yesterday, I kicked off my training by doing ten at that pace. Let me just say that I have a looooong way to go in the next four weeks. Go ahead and add 'Run a marathon on a month of training' to my list of stupid things.
At this point, my legs are fried. I am, however, thankful for my non-sedentary job. Sitting down causes my legs to stiffen so I'm happy that I haven't done much sitting in the past two days. I'm sure my near constant movement is helping is some small way. Let's just go with that. I know I'm going to regret my decision to write this the moment I try to stand. I guess we can add 'Sitting to write with sore legs' to my list of stupid things also. I should stretch or maybe do a little yoga? Only upon pain of death. God help us all, I don't do yoga. Ever.
Tomorrow I'm running again. Nothing as palatial as a ten miler. At least I hope not. The plan is nice and easy four miler at Town Lake. I'm breaking in a new running partner who is young enough to be my son and wants to be a Navy SEAL after he graduates from college. I like to say that I'll be doing to breaking in (thoughts do become things), but in my current condition I'm skeptical. I may end up holding on for dear life with whatever is left of my dignity and ego while praying once again for survival. Let's hope he doesn't leave me broken by run's end. He's a nice kid so I'm sure he'd offer to carry me back to the car, but I'd be mortified. Alright, add 'Run with future Navy SEAL two days after a shredding ten miler' to my list of stupid things.
I refuse to say that any of this is impacted by my recent birthday and newly advanced age. I can (and will) run ten miles, finish a marathon, and train with a SEAL at any age. Any. Try me. My hope, though, is that wisdom comes with age. I'm going to pay tomorrow for my stupidity just like I did Wednesday at about Mile 7 1/2. That's when the pain and near doubt really set it. Thank you, Jesus, for jumping in when you did. I was fading and trying to hold myself together with history and motivating music blasting into my brain. As in the old days, I simply refused to stop. Stupid yes, but you don't get anywhere by stopping.
So, tomorrow I sincerely hope I've got something left in the tank and that my Navy SEAL doesn't have to carry me home. I desperately want to put it to him and show him what an 'old' lady his mother's age can do. Let's hope I don't have to add 'Showing out to boys on runs at Town Lake' to my list of stupid things, but knowing me and my current level of intelligence, I'm not going to put money on it.
The End. Time to get up and move. Oy. I got this. I think.
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