Today I took my new shoes out for the first run of week four. It was hard but had some good moments and one crazy moment.
Week four has two three minute intervals and two five minute intervals. F-I-V-E minutes. Running five whole minutes together. Twice. I wasn’t mentally up for it, but it’s a warm day (upper 50s) and it wasn’t raining, so out I went.
The first three minute interval was good, and I was proud of that. But the first five minute interval ended up mostly uphill. At the halfway mark I had to switch to walking for a bit, but did manage to finish most of that interval running.
I have been reading about distance running training, so I was thinking about my stride which helped keep me going. Thanks to Celia’s tips about breathing and form, I was not as quick to wear out this run.
In the middle of the last five minute run, there was a moment of panic. Aaaaggghhh!! New shoes!!! Is that poop? EWWWW! Avoid the poop!! Don’t step in the poop! These are Really Expensive Shoes! No poop!!
LOL Okay, a crazy thing but seriously, it did freak me out. A little mud, okay. A puddle, okay. But poop? On my pretty new shoes? No way.
And then, up in a tree by the pond, there was a blue jay. The first one I’ve seen this spring. One of my favorite birds, a bright blue and grey, singing in the spring weather. James loves blue jays too, so it felt like a sign that he was with me in spirit, encouraging me like he always does.
With that bit of encouragement, I was able to make it all the way through. Yes, I ran the whole five minute interval! I haven’t run five minutes in a row since about fifth grade. That’s like 1976 or so. Amazing!
On the cool down walk I thought I heard voices coming from a back yard, sounded a bit like a grandfather and little girl. And then over the fence came lots and lots of bubbles, swirling around on the breeze, along with laughter. What a gift of joy!
Pushing past the negative thoughts at the start of this run, I found laughter and joy at the end. Well worth it.
1 comment:
This makes me laugh. Mainly because I relate, well not the running (heck no!!) But many many many years ago when I went to America on holidays I came home with a gorgeous pair of pink Reeboks. Mega cheap over there, hugely expensive here in Aus.
I loved these Reeboks so much, but no way no how would they be taken out in the rain or dirt or anything like that.
The standing joke was years later when they still looked as good as new, was that I'd been wearing them with plastic bags over them, LOL.
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