Good morning, interwebs. I am still in Minneapolis for work and still, as faithful sexy readers know, trying to regain my Running Mojo after some disappointing sessions.
I went to bed last night planning on getting up at 5:30 and running again. At 5:30? I reset the alarm for 6:00. But then at 6:00, I decided to lace up the shoes and give it a go on one condition: no treadmill.
My strategy for regaining that elusive Running Mojo is to make running fun, and let's face it: that is not going to happen on a treadmill in a hotel gym where I have nothing to look at but a tiny screen playing Saved by the Bell and a wall of mirrors.
I layered up and headed outside, where it was in the 30's (yes, in April) and snowing lightly (again, Minnesota). I brought Paula Garmin with me, but kept her in my pocket, reminding myself that the point wasn't speed or distance, but the joy of running. This being Minnesota, I quickly found a beautiful lake, surrounded by snow-covered trees, and ran around it.
The setting was beautiful. I have heard many people muse that they can't imagine living in the Midwest, especially not the upper Midwest like Minnesota, but I can definitely see its charms. I saw bunnies running across the path, and for much of the way, the only footprints on the snow were mine.
As for the run? It was not one of those runs where, at the end, you feel amazing and want to spend the entire day telling everyone about how great it was. But it was pretty good. A solid, average effort.
Next up is Sunday's group run. I'm going to run 10 miles, which should be plenty far in advance of my trisko ("half marathon") on May 10, and I will run it at whatever the hell pace I feel like.
I'm coming after you, Running Mojo. Prepare to be chicked.
4 comments:
Nicely done! Sometimes all you need is a simple, solid run to start getting you back on track.
I like Minnesota, too. The scenery is nice and the cost of living is low compared to Chicago.
I'm glad you had such a great run -- exactly the recipe for regaining running mojo!
Small steps... it'll come. I like the idea of leaving Paula in your pocket.
HI Betsy
I totally understand where you are coming from and I blame it on the weather. I have been training hard for so long now and this winter has been the most trying time I have had in the last couple years. I guess the thing that keeps me going the most is that I am afraid to stop. I think about myself pre-running back in '03 and I was a big old fat couch potato and I don't think I could live with myself if I went back to that.
Hang in there my "Kenyan" friend. Warm weather is all we need to get the mojo back and it is coming..
I promise!
Best of luck with running, the family, and everything else.
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