When I got up at 5AM this morning, I put my running gear on immediately. Good girl! I popped my head around the curtain though only to find it was still pitch black outside... not OK for running in the Park and my gym doesn't open until 6:30AM.
I didn't go back to bed; instead, I sat down at my desk and worked on editing a presentation I have to give later today. An hour and a half later, with the clarity that morning brings, I was stuck like glue to making revisions, polishing and practicing. I was torn. Keep working on work, or leave for the Park and get a quick run in. 5 miles wasn't an option any more - I'd be late for work. 3 would be a stretch. 1-2, more realistic.
I finished the page I was revising and looked at the clock again, nearly 7 AM! The thing is, this wasn't procrastination - for once. I felt a burning, itching, even "drive" if you will to get out there and run! I can only liken it to the look in a race horse's eyes when he's standing near the gate at the start of a race. He warmed up some time ago, he's saddled, now - what's the delay! Put me in the box and fire the gun already! (And please... forgive the analogy to a race horse! I know - I'm no race horse. Just call me Turtle.)
I decided to head down to the gym and just run one mile. One fast mile - aiming for 10 minutes. I could spare that without compromising anything and maybe that would give me my fix. I really didn't know what that would be like. I haven't run just one mile in months.
When I got to the gym, the usual suspects where there and they all attempted to make eye contact and start conversation. I just smiled with my ear buds in my ears (nothing playing, but they didn't know that) and directed my attention to the machine. One mile, as fast as I wanted. I started at 5.5 mph and quickly accelerated to 6 mph, and then faster.
My breathing wasn't labored. Nothing hurt terribly much. I didn't even start to sweat until 3/4 of a mile! I'm not saying it was easy, or I wasn't tired or wanting to stop - I was - but knowing I was just doing one mile propelled me. Actually, the mile seemed very long in a lot of ways because I never let my mind wander. I just kept looking at the mileage and thinking about what I was doing. That wasn't so fun. I noticed again how much I liked the form my body takes when it's running faster. I've mentioned this before. The arms swing. The legs go. I think I stand up straighter. I feel like I look like a runner and there's something in that, too.
The lovely thing about being a newbie is that every run basically gives you a new PB. Like I said, I haven't run "just" a mile in a very long time; so I'm officially recording my 1M PB as: 9:40. And, I love that number!
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