Running through the May flowers

[yellow]

It's May, ladies. How's the running going? Any racing this month?

[skhill]

It's Derby Day in KY, also known as the first day when it's safe to plant your tomatoes. But for me, it's now remembered as the day when I ran my one and only sub-7 minute mile in the middle of a 10K last year!

Not doing the derby day 10k this year and not nearly as fast this year, but I ran a very pleasant 5 miles this morning. Sunrise is so early now that I need to remember my sunglasses even when I head out at 6 am; my last .5 mile was in to a brilliant rising sun.

[OakLeaf]

Thursday I did just over three miles and realized that I was very glad I hadn't signed up for the half marathon today that's supposed to be a super fun race. One of these years.

Today I told my husband I was probably just going to the top of the hill and back, a 4.5 mile or so RT, but that if I felt good I'd go farther. I wound up doing the whole 8.5 mile loop. It's a beautiful day, howling wind and scattered sprinkles and all. I just love where I live.

I'm going to put up a little writeup of Boston in the next couple of days. It was an incredible experience but it's really taken this long to process everything, and it took a good run to get some thoughts to fall into place.

[yellow]

Oy, I have been struggling lately. I think I might be a bit burned out (even though I really am not running a lot) and I am definitely frustrated with my body (a couple of long-standing problems that never quite resolve seem magnified even though I know they aren't and it's mostly in my head).

So, tell me all the things you LOVE about running?

I love the way trail running makes me use my brain. It's a lot like whitewater boating or mountain biking, and I often picture myself doing one of those things when I am running technical trails. Adds a little "Whoa, I am such an adventurer!" to the running.

How about you?

[OakLeaf]

I love the meditation. How thoughts just fall into place, unbidden and unlooked for.

I love the solitude.

I love the sunshine. I love a warm rain. I love the bite of cold on my face (as hard as it is for me to dress and open that door when it's cold). I love how small I feel in a thunderstorm, and how big I feel when I see the view from the top of a hill.

I love exploring new places. I love seeing small changes on familiar routes: this flower is blooming, that person finished building her porch, the corn is finally high enough to pee in.

I love training hard. But, which might be important for you, I also love thoughtfully giving myself permission to slack off, and the way running lets me go deep enough into my own body and head that I can be confident about giving myself that permission.


You still working with a coach? What does he say?


And, where's everyone else in this thread?

[Catrin]

I love running in the woods - gets me outside and surrounded by nature. There is something very primal about running in the woods, jumping over rocks and roots, seeing whatever there is to see! It is a great form of stress relief and gets my focus back to the present moment.

The problem is I can't seem to run right now without tweaking my left hammie, way up high at the insertion point. It isn't bad, quite mild actually, but very persistent. None of my other activities appears to aggravate it...hopefully if I don't run for the next week I will be ready for the Dirty Girl. If not, well, I will walk it! I've been told my form doesn't seem to be off, which helps. That IS, however the same side where I've some ankle flexibility problems from a large foot surgery in 2004. Beginning to wonder if that is the problem, but time will tell.

I AM listening to my body - which might actually be a surprise given my track record here

[yellow]

You still working with a coach? What does he say?

Yes, I am. We're working through it. I am dialed way back this year in an attempt to stay healthy but the problem with that is that, over the course of a few months, I find myself undertrained for my June event because I'm just not putting in the miles I need. It's a fine line. I just miss my motivation. I wish it would come home! In the meantime I am enjoying the springtime running through the flowers. I am hoping that getting back into the mountains in the next month or so will help rejuvenate my running brain.

Good answers so far. And, yeah, where the heck is everyone?