...how much effort running is. And I'm not just talking about the actual running part of it! Ever since I lost my trusted running partner Em, I've had to entirely shift my focus as a runner. We used to just run and talk, talk, talk. The time would fly by and it seemed so easy. Every so often I would think about how tired I was, but not even that much. The challenge when running alone is to not think about how tired you are, how much farther you have, how hot it is, or if that creepy guy off the trail is the boogeyman!
Also getting ready for a run seems like so much more effort -it's like packing for a little mini vacation! First I have to make sure I don't get bored - for me this means making playlists for my ipod or downloading a book or podcast. Next, I have to worry about hydration and hunger. I have to pack my water, energy bar, and gatorade and make sure I have enough based on how far I'm going. And finally, I have to worry about my safety. Running alone has definitely introduced a lot more paranoia into my routine, so I take a cell phone and a whistle (Today I wondered if anywhere would rent me a dog to run with? Seems like lots of gals run with big, protective dogs) Add to the list - my stopwatch, GPS, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, & chapstick.
So adding that all up seems like alot, but I think it is definitely worth it because I just love the feeling during the final moments of a run. The runner's "high" I get is so real and effective. The 10 miles I ran this morning at first seemed like so long to go, but when I got done it was like "that wasn't so bad..."
I noticed today that certain songs really get me going and others, well, just don't do it for me. And my range of music tastes is very wide - I've got a little bit of everything from 70's to techno, to Top 40. A few favorites on my iPod at the moment are "Colorful" by Rocco DeLuca, "Wake Up Call" by Maroon 5 (the whole new album is great) and "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder. So here's a question for those of you that listen to a lot of music. What songs or artists motivate you?
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3 comments:
Tom and I have an idea for you. You could post an ad on Craig's List asking to run with someone's dog. So, you could actually start a dog "running" business of some sorts! You get the best of both worlds: money to run with a dog and the protection you need, as long as it's not a Rexy dog!
OR Tom suggested you could just ask your neighbors that live behind you,"If you aren't going to eat that dog, do you mind if I run with it?"
( haha a little inside joke!)
That's why I don't run -- too much preparation. ;)
After you described all the stuff you have to bring, all I can imagine is you running down the road with an unusually large fanny pack bouncing around your waist. How do you carry all of that?
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