I'm a firm believer that no matter how busy you are, you can still find a way to fit exercise into your life. In fact, it's why I started running in the first place - I wanted something quick, but super intense. And something that didn't require a gym or a lot of equipment. With the bike path in my backyard, running seemed like the most reasonable answer. No driving to a gym, no equipment to buy and set up; just walk out my back door and walk back in when I'm done. Even less excuses not to exercise.
Well things have been a little busy for me this week, but I wouldn't sacrifice running (maybe my blog, but not the running). There were even a couple nights I didn't start running until 9:30 at night on the treadmill. Not exactly ideal...but still better than skipping it all together. In fact, one of those nights produced a personal best for me on the 5k distance (although I'm not yet convinced that it counts when I'm running inside on the treadmill).
I got outside a couple times too, and was itching to get out again today. As I sat all day working, I couldn't wait for 5:00 to arrive so I could hurry up and change and get out the door. It was actually pretty decent weather, and I wasn't going to pass that up. So I headed out, still thinking about the personal best I'd achieved earlier in the week, of 30:08 for 5k. I was SO close to being under 30 minutes. Just 9 seconds. How frustrating. But then again, as I said before, I wasn't entirely convinced it counted anyway, because it was on the treadmill. It's so easy to manipulate the speed of the treadmill as you're running to figure out how fast you need to be going to get a PR. Sure, I still have to keep up, but I feel like the treadmill is kinda helping me keep that pace. Not that it's easier (on the contrary - I feel like running on a treadmill is much harder than running outside) - it's just easier to pace yourself and figure out how fast you're going and need to be going.
Anyway, this was all on my mind as I headed out the door, and I just wanted to validate my treadmill runs outside. It was like I needed to prove to myself that I really could do it, and that meant I had to do it outside on my own. I felt really good for the first mile, and was going at a good pace. As I ran, I couldn't help calculating if I was on pace with my treadmill run from earlier in the week (my nerdy accountant personality just won't go away sometimes). Turns out I was doing pretty good. And as I kept running, I was keeping up. It was a little chilly outside, so I was having some trouble breathing through my nose, but I couldn't let that stop me. As I got closer and closer to the end of my run, I was getting excited. I just wanted to hear my GPS tracker tell me I'd reached 3.1 miles in some time frame that started with 29 instead of 30 or 31. I'd never heard that before.
I passed the 3 mile mark and was just a few seconds over 29 minutes. I knew I had to hurry, and I really took off at that point. Not that I had much energy left. But I didn't care. I made energy. And before I knew it, that woman's voice was telling me I'd reached 3.1 miles in "29 minutes and 54 seconds." What?!?! Really???? I didn't really think I was going to make it!!! Sure, it was only 6 seconds under 30 minutes, but it was under 30 minutes anyway! :oD
I was so tired and so out of breath that I actually stopped completely and bent over to try to catch my breath. (I know - bending over does nothing to help me breathe, but it was the only thing my body could do right then.) I really just wanted to sit down right there on the ground without caring who saw me - yes, I was that exhausted. Embarrassing, but I was. It must have really been my lucky day though, because as I looked to my left, I was standing directly in front of a bench. I couldn't have been happier. I just ran a 5k in under 30 minutes for the first time ever, AND I had a bench to rest on. Now I realize this is the exact opposite of what I should have done - I should have just kept walking - but it was a special occasion and I felt like I deserved a short sit on the bench, especially because it was so conveniently located right in front of me.
I finally got up and walked a bit to cool down (after a motivational meow from the local attack cat - a stray cat in the area that thinks it's amusing to spring out of the weeds as people run by). And I felt so good. Not only had I validated my treadmill run, but I had also reached one of my goals by running the 5k distance in under 30 minutes. :oD I'm sure I have a ways to go before my runs are consistently under 30 minutes, but that means a new goal for me. I'm thinking of increasing my distance this time to work my way up to 4 miles. I have already decided that I want to try a 10k race next summer, so I'll have to start increasing my distance eventually. Why not now?
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