September 29, 2009

Today's Workout:
66 minutes, 6 miles, road run, new route.

Up this morning lacking much energy, following a restless night with little sleep, for whatever reason. Sipped my coffee and debated within myself whether I ought to take a day off or do some sort of exercise. I never really came to a clear conclusion. I simply opened the door at 5 am and moved outside, walking to where I normally begin to run. I sort of thought I would run a mile, maybe 2 or 3, tops. It was dark out, I didn't feel like running the usual route, I headed very slowly in a different direction. I thought that I felt better than I thought I would. The wind was blowing lightly and it was cool out this morning, the long sleeve shirt in white, so as to be seen, was the right choice. Keeping an easy pace, I lumbered along, thinking about how far I might go, at 1.5 miles I felt good enough to think about making it a 5 miler and took the turn down a road I had not run far on before this morning. I stayed on the sidewalk and managed to make it to the 2.5 mile point where turning around would make it a 5 mile run. I gained some strength on the way back and convinced myself to run for 60 minutes, then I decide to make it a 6 miler and that is what I did.

I had no reason to believe before I started this run on this dark morning, lacking any energy or motivation that I would do 3, 4, 5 or even 6 miles. Somehow I found energy and motivation and persevered and ran for 66 minutes, a slow way to get to 6 miles, a jogging pace and an easy enough effort to maintain. Some days this is how running is, you just get going and hang on and put in your miles. Some days it's your legs that carry you, on other days your mind is your strength. Today I don't know what carried me or how I carried myself as far and as long as I did, I simply did it and this is how a runner works. We are usually purposeful, planning out the time and/or distance and meeting our goals, occasionally we accomplish things mysteriously, like I did today. Carry your good habits with you wherever you go, they come in handy and sometimes when you least expect them.