Saturday February 13, 2010
Saturday morning came a lot faster than I had hoped. Although the past week was long and tedious, I awoke Saturday morning with a startled surprise. Unsure of the running club meeting location or time of the run, I hurried out of bed and dressed in my running gear. I began turning on the computer and realized that time was of the essence. It was already 6:45 am. I was probably not going to make it. Boogers again.
Apparently I need to take the Saturday morning runs more seriously, make them more of a priority. There is much to be said to tackle a goal with a seasoned lead. Why can't I seem to get up on time? I had gone to bed before 9:00 pm. I set my alarm. Perhaps I need to set more than one alarm? Maybe even make it a practice to get to bed early on Thursday night as well so come Friday I am not utterly exhausted.
I embarked upon my run alone, through the trails of Eastlake Vistas. The sun was already bright and the morning was clear. The run was set for 4 miles. I circle around the trails in Eastlake Vistas, taking in the breathe-taking views of the Otay Reservoir. My breathing was off during my run and I struggled. I spent most of my run trying to manage my breathing and focusing on sticking to the run plan. It was a 4 minute run - 1 minute walk. I was tensing up during the run and could feel it in my shoulders almost immediately. I then tried to spend less time thinking about breathing and form and time and just really focused on the music and the beauty of the area around me.
There were three fishing boats on the lake and the sun was so warm and bright. The park was filling up with people just starting to enjoy their weekend; kids, dogs, bikes.
I thought about my life and my hopes, dreams, fears. I found myself running faster and harder. And before I knew it, I was in front of my door. I successfully completed 4.14 miles with a pace of 12 minutes 36 seconds per mile. At several points in the run, I didn’t think I could do it.
I surprised myself today.
