Running into autumn

Yesterday was the half-marathon I’d planned to run in this year. (The main event is a marathon, but they also have the half-marathon and a 5k.) I knew earlier this year that I wasn’t going to be able to do it — too many weeks off to illness or letting my foot recover, plus family vacation coming over the summer — but I still hope to participate next year.

Family vacation. Ah, yes. The last time I posted about running was on June 3, and my son got out for summer break on June 4. He wasn’t up to running 5k, and his bike got mangled, so he couldn’t bike with me while I ran, either. We did get the bike fixed, shortly before vacation, but I still didn’t run.

Didn’t run during vacation, either, although I did pack my running shoes. Basically, I took 3 months off from running.

I’ve been getting back into it, starting back with week 5 of the Couch-to-5k plan, and doing pretty well. Then my son brought home a flyer about Isa’s Run for a Cure this coming Saturday, and I signed up. No, I’m not back up to week 9 yet. I figure if I can’t run the whole way, I’ll finish by walking. But, by golly, I’m going to participate, running in a group for the first time since P.E. class in 10th grade.

So I did something crazy today: I ran twice. Went out this morning with a week 5 run, taking the dog with me. Then this afternoon (after adding a few hundred words to the work in progress), I went out again, targeting a week 7 run (25 minutes). I didn’t make it the whole time, but the 13-14 minutes I did do was pretty good for a second run of the day.

Now my legs are stiff and sore. I’m hoping they’ll be better tomorrow, and I’m probably not going to try the two runs on Wednesday that I’d thought to.

On the other hand, I’m pleased with what I accomplished, pleased with where I am. And I’m going to keep pushing myself to improve, to keep running, so that next year, I can tackle that half-marathon.

How about you? How are you pushing yourself to meet goals? Any that you’ve had to delay?

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4 Comments

  1. Congratulations on getting back to running!

    I’ve had to delay my goal of submitting a novel because it needs another draft. It will be stronger when I submit it, so that’s ok.

  2. I love the feeling of power that running gives me. Every time I surpass some running goal, I go back to my writing with renewed confidence.

    But apart from that, the most important thing that running has taught me is patience. It takes time to build up endurance. Life gets in the way and I have to take a break but then I come back to it and in next to no time I’m surpassing myself again.

    If that’s not a metaphor for writing, I don’t know what is!

    • Ooh, excellent points, Alex! I never thought of it as an exercise in patience — more in perseverance (keeping going when there’s not an immediate payoff) — but that makes complete sense. Thank you!

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