“I Thought, er, KNEW I Could”
While most people I know find this nuts (see my newest, most favorist BB shirt I have on in my avatar) I describe my morning weekend run as “relaxing”…LOL. I really get a chance to, for an hour, just “be”. While my body gets a nice cardio workout, that muscle between my ears gets to just tag along & think & wonder & plan & dream….you get the idea.
I’m lucky enough to live in a very rural area, and on top of that (literally in this case) on a hill. If I see 2 cars while I’m out that was heavy traffic. What this also means is that I get to run (for the vast majority) uphill for miles before turning for home, at which point my efforts are “rewarded” by being able to run (and I mean RUN) downhill. Its a great feeling to not just be out “running” but to actually be RUNNING and not be straining or pushing or in serious O2 debt. Its kinda primal, I guess.
Sometimes I’ll listen to “Stereo Nature” and soak in all the birds, wind thru thru the trees, the crunch of dirt (oh, forgot to mention about 1/2 of the road is STILL unpaved!) under foot, the occasional brook or stream babbling away. Most of the time I have my Sansa Clip playlist going & I feed off the energy of the music.
I don’t run distances, per se, but I have a rough idea how far various “things” are from home. That mailbox in the rollcage is about 1 mile, the horse corral with the new fence about 2, the start of pavement again 2.5, etc. I try to run for at least 45+ minutes. I run, turn around, run back.
Of course what goes up must come down. About a 1/4 mile past where the pavement starts again the hill…..drops. And I mean DROPS. For about 1/2 a mile (I guess I do know the distances…LOL) its at least a 20+ degree climb, but tucked right in the middle of that is a 1/4 mile stretch where its at LEAST 30+ degrees, maybe more. It is intimidating to already be miles out from home & see it.
Now on the 4th of July I didn’t, per se, cheat on my diet but I did have a great “reward meal” (a big plate of Pad Thai with everything steamed, even the eggs hard boiled!), some fat free frozen yogurt (a large mocha chip), granola in the yogurts, extra fruit, etc. It was easily a 1/3 more cals than I typically eat. So this little pang of guilt, combined with the fact that my cardio efforts have totally SUCKED as of late, created “The Perfect Storm” in my mind, heart & soul to attack that last incline and beat it. I’d been picking away at it mailbox by driveway, but this was going to be it - all or nothing.
Of course the descent was great! When I reached the intersection at the bottom I just turned around & hit it.
Its at this moment that I would like to thank my various BB Friends. If, per chance, you were feeling a little lethargic yesterday morning a little after 8am EST that was from me tapping into all of yours “mojo” for the strength to conquer this task without resorting to stopping or walking. When I got to the serious incline I really focused & refused to let my body (my mind stopped its free ride at this point) slow or stop. Definitely got the ol’ ticker up & pumpin’! But I thought of all of your comments & positive attitudes and, step by step, attacked it.
I thought of the children’s story “The Little Engine That Could”. I could, and I did. I beat the what I now call “The Defribulator” and ran the entire length of my road for the 1st time! It felt great! Its amazing that, after that, those 10-15 degree inclines atop that felt like DOWNHILL! It made for a great true downhill run back home.
Of course now I know I can do it, and have done it, and that there is zero excuse for not doing it every time! *sigh* So every weekend it & I will dance. And knowing me I’ll try to beat it a little more convincingly each time.
I’m already thinking of a 1x month HIIT session to end all HIIT sessions on it.
I’m a sick puppy….*grin*
Thanks again to all my BB Buds for sharing some strength. I owe all of you some back. Let me know when & the story about when you tap into mine!
