Run Forrest, Run

In case I hadn't announced it properly, I'm training for the Salt Lake 1/2 Marathon. That's a 13.1 mile run through Salt Lake City and it will be 2 days before my birthday this year. I haven't paid my entry fee just yet. I've decided to wait until one month of training is complete which will be the end of next week.

Why am I doing this? Why not?!?! I like running. I crave it. I love making playlists to run to. I love the satisfaction I get of pushing my body to its limit and when I finish a day's run knowing the next time is 5 minutes longer and I've got to accomplish that next. I even love the idea of having a huge goal (running 13.1 miles straight) set in front of me that I am working to accomplish.

This morning I did not want to run. The alarm went off at 5 am and Pili snuggled into me when I hit snooze and crawled back into bed for 10 more minutes. The wind was whirling around outside bringing in a giant storm and I didn't have any desire to get up. Or to run.

I made it to the work and into the gym by 6:25. I made it out of the locker room at 6:48 and got on the treadmill at 6:50. This is bad! I'm normally in the gym by 6am and done running and heading in to shower by 6:55. Today, I just could not find the motivation to get on the treadmill.

Knowing that I have to run my training schedule exactly as its written means I can't miss a day. Not one. It is crucial to build up my stamina in small increments. Race day won't happen if I don't do the work leading up to it. Remembering that got me to run. It wasn't my best run. I was about 30 seconds slower than normal per mile. I had a hard time focusing. It seemed like I mentally was checked out. It was me on the treadmill just going through the motions. There was no passion or joy in this run. It was just a step to cross something off my list of today's to-do's.

For what its worth - runs like today aren't a factor of the early morning hour I normally despise. They only happen on treadmill days. Running on the treadmill is a task. Its repetitive and redundant. I don't see that I'm going anywhere even though the laps on the treadmill say otherwise. When I run outside I don't have a bad attitude and drag my body out of bed and waste time talking myself into the task at hand. Running outside takes me places. I see things. I feel like I've gone somewhere and have something to show for my run. And something about being out before most of the city is awake energizes me. Being one of the only people out and welcoming in the day by literally running into it is kind of a poetic welcome to the day.

Since quitting is not an option for me, my hate and despise of the treadmill has to end. I have a feeling the Groundhog is gonna tell us there's six more weeks of winter in another week so me and the treadmill are gonna be companions until at least the end of February.