Down to the River

Kevin made a comment on my last post that got me thinking. I really have no issue running whatever pace my body wants to run. Some days I just feel good, and I can run "fast." Other days, not so much. I know that my idea of "slow" is someone else's "fast," and my "fast" is someone else's "slow." And that is cool. We just take what our bodies give us, and try our best. I think it is simply that recently I just haven't felt great running, and it is getting me down. I feel a bit frustrated. Many of my runs have felt like slogs, or I've had heavy legs, etc. I have felt stuck at a pace and don't feel like I am progressing. Perhaps it is just my expectations. I had hoped to return quickly to form after taking the month of May off with that whole silly little foot injury, and the return has been a bit tougher than I would have imagined. Rationally, I know I shouldn't complain that I'm running 9:45s while doing repeats up and over Mt. Ararat, but I had hoped to do better, or at least, to feel better while doing it. That's the rub. I want to feel good running, and recently no matter what the pace that has tended to be a struggle. In any event, Kevin's comment was a reminder that I should appreciate what I have and what my body can do, and honestly despite my silly complaints, I am grateful that I can run, that I can get out in the woods with friends and alone, grateful to have the chance to stretch my legs and soothe my mind, and wander along the river and listen to the birds and scare up deer and turkeys along the way.

Got out around 7:00 this morning for a random 6 mile wander along the golf course for a few holes and then down to the river and back. Tomorrow Ryan and I are heading to Bradbury to run the mountain side of the BBU course. He'll probably stop at 10 miles, but I'm planning to tack on a few more miles once we get back to the parking lot assuming all goes well. Above all, I'm hoping that I can forget about pace and just enjoy a morning run in the woods with Ryan :-)