April 18, 2005

Wherein our Heroine, Quite Simply, Surprises Herself.

Monday morning, and I'm shocked to realize I've won a major challenge, simply by not quitting.

After the shoe fiasco of last week, I had to do some fast thinking. My next training run with the girls was Thursday, and I would be out of commission at least until Friday. What to do? One of the other girls had a similar issue, so she and I opted to take it easy and run on the treadmills / elliptical trainers in my apartment building while the other, non-injured girls ran our usual course along the seawall. Friday, I lucked out and got a great deal on a too-bright-white-to-believe runners.

Saturday morning I set my reservations aside and went to my weekly run class, and did my first ever trail running along Lost Lagoon. It was raining miserably. I was slow. I was blinded by my shoes. I ached. I had every reason to quit and say this was too hard for me.

And then I realized that I didn't ache as much as I had before. I was slow, but I was now up to running 3 minutes for every 1 minute I walked. I wasn't able to keep it up for more than 3 sets, but I got through three sets. This was something I could build on. Plus, someone else in my group had the same pace I did.

Random (But Positive) Graffiti (Vancouver Sun Run)
A little bit of the random but positive graffiti I saw along the way - this one was under the Granville Street Bridge.

Sunday. Vancouver Sun Run day. My bed was warm & cozy, the spouse was completely dead to the world, and the cats were blinking and yawning their annoyance at me. I peeked out the blinds and was greeted by what I consider to be the quintessential Vancouver run weather - dark, dismal, cold, drizzly and gray. Sigh. My bed beckoned me with promises of comfy slumber... But I'd promised. A long walk later, I was done.

Yeah me!

Categories? Why thank you, yes! Let's go for
in .

6 comments:

Julia said...

way to go!!!!

Unknown said...

Hi, Michele sent me! You are doing awesome! Way to stick with it - you are reaping the benefits obviously! I can't stay focused on running so I am impressed with your fortitude! Keep going forward!

Jay said...

Yay you, that's so awesome. You have great will power, and that's half the battle. I liked the part about being blinded by your shoes. How white can they be?

laura k said...

Yay you! Not only did you get up and do it, you helped us all remember what's important. Thanks!

Mrs. Darling said...

Michele sent me. Good luck on your running!

Cin said...

The shoes? Try freshly fallen snow on a cloudless, sunny day. I think I took a photo of them before their first outing... If I did I will post it.

Thank you everyone for the support - this is proving to be a test not only of my physical abilities, but also of my beliefs about what I'm capable of doing and dealing with.