My Everyday Life on the Run

So, I am pretty sure I will not have something to write every day that I want to share, but I feel this overwhelming need to just state once again how much I hate to run in the cold. For me, this weather is COLD (47◦F)! To some, it is perfect- what they have been waiting for the whole year after experiencing the heavy muggy hot weather that dominates Houston, Texas, Two months ago, I started running twice a week with my friend who lives in a different subdivision. The trail we run outside her subdivision is a smooth round loop that is about 1.5 miles around.   I like to meet her there because the trail has an easy surface and a nice view that is a welcome break from my normal running routine.   Since we run early in the morning, we get great glimpses of the moon and often see deer drinking water from the pond. My friend has a natural fast pace, so running with her has improved my own pace as well as given me a changeup in my running routine. Plus, we just have some great girl

This week, I am training to get ready for a new goal: averaging 6 miles a day per month starting in December. It is a goal that just sprung up on me while reading the memoir by Haruki Murakami, What I Talk About When I talk About Running . In his book, he discusses how he approached his marathon training and this is how he started. What I like about this approach is that it allows for flexibility to be worked into a disciplined goal. He highlights his use of the word average because some days (he makes sure to run 6 out of 7 days) he will do more miles and others less.   Either way, the mileage will work out to average at least 6 miles daily. Yesterday I did not run. In the very recent past, I would have let this eat away at me to no end until I was miserable. Now, however, I know that should I choose not to run on a certain day, then I just have to make it up over the week.   This way of thinking helps to take some of the mental weight off of me when I am coaching myself up.

This morning, I did not wake up to run. Well, I did wake up but only to turn my alarm clock off. Then, I went back to bed.   A lot of runners like it when it gets cold. I am not one of them. I prefer to run in moderate temperatures not ones that make me feel like my lungs are burning and my skin is screaming. Yes, sadly enough, this temperature is usually around 50◦F depending on the wind shield.   Although, I will make myself do it from time to time to prepare for any type of race day. Today was not a day I was particularly inclined to do so. The good news is that the weather will be moderately warm for me to run in later. I will be able to run a smooth pace in the sun.   This makes me happy. Like most runners, I carve my day out around my run. A lot of people (non runners) wonder why we do this.   What do we get out of it? Why is it almost an obsession for us? While I can’t answer for all runners, I believe I can answer for most. I do believe it is our” ME”ditation

Me with my son, James, after our first race together. As long as I can remember, I have run. Of course, I have come a long way from the days of using a clock and street blocks to track my time, and distance but overall, I am still just that girl who wants to run, but with fancier stuff now. You can blame it on the Physical Fitness Awards that we were introduced to in school. My sister and I loved to hustle and our eyes were on the prize: The Presidential Award. I still remember the gold seal that decorated the certificate and made it stand out against the rest. Every year, I looked forward to earning it. If you go back to that track or field we had to use in those days to run, you would have seen two chicken-legged twin Mexican girls running as fast as we could, while our friends walked chilled back along the track.  I am sure they thought we were crazy. Some days I still wonder if I am, especially when I roll out of bed on a Saturday morning at 4:00 a.m. to go on my lon