Forgive me my flock, happily I can say...I"M BAAAAAACK!!!
I needed some time to do a big pile of Honey Do's. I have another big pile to do tomorrow and I didn't want the weekend to get away before I shared with you some thoughts and for whatever crazy reason, I feel like you want to hear my thoughts.
I must have jinxed myself, last time I mentioned getting on the podium at my little trail races that I like to do. Well for the first time ever in this particular series of trail races, about 15 races in all over the last 3+ years, I did not finish in the top 5, I did not hit the podium. I mean it's no big deal, right? I ended up going a little slower then I felt able to do because my feet started to really hurt. It was a combo platter of the Plantar Faciatis and lots of sharp rocks to step on. Besides, my goal this year is just recovery and stride transition. Then why am I still obsessed with it 2 weeks later. Maybe it's partially due to the passing another birthday last week?* Maybe it was the weakening of my immune system, as demonstrated by a viscous stomach bug that ripped me inside out for a few days? Maybe it's because, according to my feet, I'm not as fast a healer as I was 10 or 15 years ago. Whatever it is, I know I didn't lose my competitive streak, and that's a win for me.
Another thought bouncing around my noggin is my bone headed stubbornness. I refuse to take my own advice. I refuse to learn from my vast collection of mistakes. I feel like my body is talking and I'm not really listening. My feet have been tender for about 3 weeks now as a result of the natural trail running yet I refuse to stop or change shoes. I'm the yin and yang of malehood, a tired and whiny old man and a little boy all wide eyed and innocent. A strong and silent leader of men and a pimply little teenager. Oh well, such is my life, I'm not going to change soooo.....
Finally, I went to a passover Seder last week. The matzoh reminded me of my body as few 5 years ago, all flat and ripply and stuff. Now I'm more like a good sized Matzoh ball, getting round and mushy and maybe even a little smelly and ripe.
*sidenote: I found out last weekend that the age minimum for AARP membership was 50!! WTF?? 50?!?! Sure, they offer great discounts on life insurance, bus tours of Miami Beach and the blue plate special at the Denny's but now that I'm a mere 6 years from AARP-age I feel like I can wait a while before I get to the back half of the inning.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Saturday, April 7, 2012
first day of spring run
originally written 3/19:
Those of you in the DC area this past weekend may remember, Spring officially sprung on Friday. At least it did for me. I know that the first day of spring is officially on the vernal eqinox which is on March 20th every year (as far as I know). But my first day of spring is on a different day each year, I'm never for sure which day it's coming but on the day it arrives...AHHH!!! It feels like I haven't felt the sun in my whole life. It's one of my happiest days all year. I tend to celebrate that day instead of March 20th.
What makes a day, a particular day like any other day and like no day before it for about 3-4 months...WARM SUNSHINE (accomponied by gentle breezes of dry, pine scented air). For me the first day of spring is loosly defined as the first day of the year that it is warm, warm enough to run early in the morning, mid day, early evening or late at night and be equally comfortable. Everybody has a day like this in their personal calanders. But what do you do with it? You go outside, we've been couped up all winter, it's time to get out!
So I did what I naturally wanted to do, go for a run. I laced up my Barefoot Merril Trail Gloves and I took off down the trail, my mind was sort of all over the place when I started. I was thinking about work and I was thinking about house issues and some family things and I had no idea how far I wanted to go and how much time I had to get there. Then I remembered that I had a few errands to do so I grapped some papers for my realtor (we finally sold my old place, whew!!), and a small sport sack I would need to pick up some things at CVS and a charger at the Apple store. As I was headed into town I started thinking about the National Marathon that will be taking place the next day. I ran that marathon every year for the past 4 and some kind of spring marathon every year for 6 years. It's just what I do...or did. Not this year because I was injured most of last year and didn't want to rush my body back to fast, I may have decided to do a fall trail marathon if I find one close. I started thinking about how much work and fun and work went in to doing a marathon. They can be grueling but they can be very rewarding. You really learn a little more about yourself when ever you do one, when ever you pass any test for that matter.
So I was inspired that today, on this, the first day of Spring, I will run 6.2 miles (I'll leave the first 20 up to my marathon brothers-in -arms). I had not run that far for 9 months and I run nataurally now so my feet might not even be ready for a run that far. But I had to try and sometimes trying is enough because on this day I ran my 6.2 miles (maybe 6.5 really, I wanted to be sure) and it felt good. I saw a lot of interesting things and I felt a lot of interesting things and I even composed a poem.
I am loving this perfect weather day!
what it does to my soul,
and what it does to my my spirit,
to be outside in it.
Runnin' and gunnin' and soaking it in,
I can't wait for his dreams to begin.
Climbing trees and hills and heights unknown,
together we run b'never alone
Right?!?!
The run felt great even though the balls of my feet are really sore still from the races on the past two weekends all is well, all systems go!
.
Those of you in the DC area this past weekend may remember, Spring officially sprung on Friday. At least it did for me. I know that the first day of spring is officially on the vernal eqinox which is on March 20th every year (as far as I know). But my first day of spring is on a different day each year, I'm never for sure which day it's coming but on the day it arrives...AHHH!!! It feels like I haven't felt the sun in my whole life. It's one of my happiest days all year. I tend to celebrate that day instead of March 20th.
What makes a day, a particular day like any other day and like no day before it for about 3-4 months...WARM SUNSHINE (accomponied by gentle breezes of dry, pine scented air). For me the first day of spring is loosly defined as the first day of the year that it is warm, warm enough to run early in the morning, mid day, early evening or late at night and be equally comfortable. Everybody has a day like this in their personal calanders. But what do you do with it? You go outside, we've been couped up all winter, it's time to get out!
So I did what I naturally wanted to do, go for a run. I laced up my Barefoot Merril Trail Gloves and I took off down the trail, my mind was sort of all over the place when I started. I was thinking about work and I was thinking about house issues and some family things and I had no idea how far I wanted to go and how much time I had to get there. Then I remembered that I had a few errands to do so I grapped some papers for my realtor (we finally sold my old place, whew!!), and a small sport sack I would need to pick up some things at CVS and a charger at the Apple store. As I was headed into town I started thinking about the National Marathon that will be taking place the next day. I ran that marathon every year for the past 4 and some kind of spring marathon every year for 6 years. It's just what I do...or did. Not this year because I was injured most of last year and didn't want to rush my body back to fast, I may have decided to do a fall trail marathon if I find one close. I started thinking about how much work and fun and work went in to doing a marathon. They can be grueling but they can be very rewarding. You really learn a little more about yourself when ever you do one, when ever you pass any test for that matter.
So I was inspired that today, on this, the first day of Spring, I will run 6.2 miles (I'll leave the first 20 up to my marathon brothers-in -arms). I had not run that far for 9 months and I run nataurally now so my feet might not even be ready for a run that far. But I had to try and sometimes trying is enough because on this day I ran my 6.2 miles (maybe 6.5 really, I wanted to be sure) and it felt good. I saw a lot of interesting things and I felt a lot of interesting things and I even composed a poem.
I am loving this perfect weather day!
what it does to my soul,
and what it does to my my spirit,
to be outside in it.
Runnin' and gunnin' and soaking it in,
I can't wait for his dreams to begin.
Climbing trees and hills and heights unknown,
together we run b'never alone
Right?!?!
The run felt great even though the balls of my feet are really sore still from the races on the past two weekends all is well, all systems go!
.
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