Major Progress

Six a.m. came earrrrrlllyyyy today ...!!! I did not appropriately honor Rest Day yesterday. It would have been wrong to do so as some neighbors needed help with a major yard work project, and we were happy to do so. I will say about an hour into it, it hit me that the morning run might not go quite how I'd envisioned!

From the moment I got up today, I could tell I was right about the vision! My thighs felt as thick and heavy as the wood I'd hauled! All of what I felt was very concentrated; the rest of my body was fine. It was nothing I could stretch out, so I figured I'd do what I could on the run and move on with the day! I decided to think of yesterday's ventures as major cross training. Booyah!

I started getting ready for today's run last night by mapping my route and getting out the things I need that I have trouble finding in the morning. Most important when it's cold but most difficult to find when it's dark and I'm tired:

Ahh, the gloves and ear warmer ... straight from the wash! That
little used up dryer sheet had a big job to do to make these smell
good! I always linger the ear warmer over my nose when putting
it on the day after washing! Yum ... better take advantage while
it's clean because that smell is about to change ...

While I was stretching ... or trying to ... I noticed what the lazy hound was doing:

"It's too early even if I wanted to go ... so I'll pretend I don't see
you." Seriously, she didn't even acknowledge me. She can be
like that in the morning. I'm always bright and shiny in the morning,
so I don't get it ... HaHaHaHaHaHaHa ...

After giving the pooch a kiss goodbye, I turned around and saw this out the window:

Holy moly, did I luck out or what to see that?!?! Given the route I was going, I knew I wouldn't be facing this direction for about 15 minutes. By then, I also knew it would be gone. So, I took these. I'm glad I did because I was exactly right about hitting the spot where I knew I'd see it only to find it no longer there! (Woah ... that's two things I was right about today ... that might be it for the day ...)

Overall, the run was fine, it just hurt a bit. But, I realized with clarity today that I've gotten to the point that my body is at least as strong as my mind ... if not a wee bit stronger on some days. You see, it used to be that to get through a run, I would spend almost all of my time with positive (and sometimes cheesy) self talk encouraging myself to continue on even though every part of my body voted for stopping. Yup, I was both mentally and physically exhausted at the end of those. Wahhh!!

You can tell by what I write that my mind now often wanders really, really far away having been released from the necessity of telling myself I'm still a good person whether I can run up a particular hill or not. With all of this extra thinking time, I started to notice this week that some of my thoughts have been straying into the territory of, "I'd rather be sleeping than doing this."

However -- and this is new -- my body has not followed suit. In fact, my legs just keep chugging along without regard to my thoughts of settling into a recliner for the rest of the day. It took more than three years to get to this point, but I'm thrilled to report I'm here. That, my friends, is major running progress.

So, when I did choose to walk a stretch today, I did so to ensure the success of the run as a whole. Yesterday's unexpected exercise was heavy, it was long, and it was worth it. And, my body required a bit of accommodation for it. The walk break was completely proactive, and I embraced it. Previous walk breaks when I've allowed them have been reactive, taken too late and with my head down. Not today. Not again.

I'm certain I should have learned how to take these to my advantage years ago. But, I was a tool and stubbornly wouldn't allow it. And, check it out, even with the walk, I still finished all 7 miles a minute ahead of my target time out the door. But, I used to beat myself up for walking. Seriously, what a fool.

Well, lesson learned, moving on and feeling really good about where I've gotten! And, check out what else was pleasing on my run:

How cute is that?!

So, there's another long one in the tank! An excellent outing for sure ... and not just physically! And, what's tomorrow? REST DAY, BABY! I think my jelly legs and I will enjoy that!