Energy Surge

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Days Run: 110 Nancy's 2014 Mileage: 526.4 Elly's 2014 Mileage: 263 Money Found For Food Bank: $36.21

Hey, remember when we were all so annoyed with the lingering cold that we thought this was both funny and so awful it made us want to punch someone? ...

I know, I know, I was a part of the chorus ready for Winter to finally end even though I knew that particular complaint would come back to bite me one day. That one day would be this morning when I stepped outside. You know that feeling you have when you're not as much hot as you are certain you are melting? Yeah, that's the one. Ewwwww ...

To enhance that special feeling, just a couple of hours before I ran, we had some rain.

That was the only hole in the clouds ... I was thankful they
stuck around during my run to keep the sun from amplifying
the humidity!

Yeahhhhh, buddy! That'll crank up the humidity! I'm glad I didn't plan on taking Elly with me anyway because this weather would not have been good for her!

While she lazed around at home, I saw a dude running with his dog. Wait ... what I saw was a dude wanting to run (I could tell by both physique and marathon shirt he wore), but he had his dog with him, and she looked like the love child of a bulldog and a pot-bellied pig, and she was just fabulous! I was waiting at a stop light, and, as he passed, her owner said, "She's not really built for running. Or walking!" At that moment, only a mile into the four and a half I planned, I didn't feel much more able than that dog!

However. That's also the same moment two other women out running together, also waiting at the light, crossed the street with me. We'd already been chatting about upcoming races we had our eyes on, and I guess that's why I decided I needed to actually run the hill in front of me and not walk most of it like I planned upon walking out the door. Thanks for foiling my plans, ladies! Part of that desire came from totally feeding off the energy of others the same as what happens at every, single race I enter. The other part of it was -- admittedly -- an ego boost. If I'd really, really needed to walk, I would have.* But, I used their presence to challenge myself which is something I need during the summer, non-training months when I can excuse my way of trying very hard!

I'm very happy to report a great success cruising on up that hill! The ego burst was worth the leg-and-lung burn. Just bein' real.

* There was a day when there was nothing that was going to allow me to be seen walking when I was supposed to be out running. NOTHING. Anymore? Whatever, if I need to walk, I WALK!

The run as a whole was humid and thick but really good! And, 12 more cents goes into the Food Bank stash!! What a deal!

I do enjoy the Saturday runs, and I am really happy with my weekly mileage, but I'm totally ready for a break by Saturday! (Let's do some math: I cover 24.5 miles in 5 days; marathoners can cover 26.2 miles in a couple of hours. Something doesn't compute ...!) So, tomorrow?! REST!! I can't wait!! Keep enjoying your weekend, and I'll check in tomorrow!