Embracing the Crazy (26.2!)

Miles Run Today: 7

Seven! Seven miles checked off my training plan on the way to my first half-marathon since having Mara (seven and a half months ago). Today's run was really fantastic. Nothing remarkable, just three and a half windy, hilly miles out from my house and three and a half less windy but just as hilly miles back (you know it is windy when you're thankful for the hills!). I've somewhat accepted the fact that I'm still skating by with the bare minimum of workouts- three runs a week and no cross training- but my legs feel strong. I feel strong. Each run reminds me what I often forget: the more I run, the better I feel. I spend most of the day distracted by needs and kids and tired and lists and the rest of the crazy but when I hit the last mile of my run (regardless of how long I've been out there), I'm calm, focused and feel like I can do anything.

Even a marathon!

It is my version of the "runner's high". This is one of the reasons I run. Running, for me, is definitely something I choose to do. It doesn't come naturally, nor is there an easy spot to fit it into my daily or weekly schedule. A marathon? A marathon will not fit into my schedule or our lives... at all. But I think I'm going to do it anyway. Simply, running one of the few things in my life that is both a challenge and enjoyable.

Here's what I mean. There are many things in my life that have come naturally to me and I've been relatively successful with without much work (or a lot less than others had to put in):

Piano (2nd grade)

Swimming (Elementary School)

French Horn (5th grade- high school)

Public Speaking (as far back as I can remember)

Foreign Languages (middle school)

There are other things that in order to succeed at, I would have had to put in a lot of work and I just didn't want them badly enough. There were others around me who were clearly both working harder and much more naturally gifted. Therefore I gave up the pursuit:

Math (3rd grade, middle school, high school, & as an adult)

French Horn (college)

Finding a teaching job (post-graduate)

Running, for me, is about the only hobby or skill that I have tried and kept doing that I'm not naturally good at, am clearly worse at than many, many other normal people (non-super athletes), must therefore work at regularly (practice) to see minor improvement and yet still pursue. A marathon? I cannot do a marathon without working on running A LOT. I will definitely fail if I don't "practice". And unlike many other things- that makes me want to do it. It's a little odd, I admit, but I'm really turned on by the challenge. Even though in all relative terms I am NOT great at running, and maybe because I am not great at running, I am totally addicted to seeing what my body can do (anyway) if I keep at it. Can this thirty four year old body that has carried and nursed two babies since my last marathon really train for and complete another? I don't know! But, I think so and how amazing if it could! I want to find out!

So, yes, I think I will. I know, it is crazy. But I embrace the craziness of it. The crazy makes it interesting. I'm going to do this thing.

I'm scheming. I'm sure you're interested in my plan. I'll leave that for another post. But I am excited and I'll leave you with that. I'm heading (right now!) to register for the Twin Cities Marathon. Wow. Ok, really. Right now (Roar!).