The last couple of months have brought a lot of change to my world and
while the majority of those changes have been really positive, it has
nonetheless been somewhat of an unsettled time. I have a friend who
would ask “where are your feet?” when she saw one of us struggling or
trying to work through something – a question that I’ve always taken as
more of a gentle reminder to stay grounded, to remember what matters and
to keep things in perspective. So with her words bouncing around in
my head, I've muddled through most of April with all of its "what ifs"
and "what nows" and tried my best to find my feet.
Amidst my muddling, I’ve learned a few things... there is no better way
to clear my head than running, it’s highly likely that I’ve read one too
many self-help books, running shoes that have reached their limit will
give you warning signs that you should NOT ignore, don’t drink red wine
after you’ve been drinking whiskey and I believe that the phrase “run
your own race” applies to all aspects of my life vs. just the running
part of it (see what I’m saying about the books??).
A huge benefit of some of the changes that have come my way as of late
is that I’ve been able to dedicate more time to my training efforts
which is something I’m so glad about as July 29th seems so very, very
soon and I feel so very, very far away from my goal. Despite my growing
panic and despite having a bit more time to spend on training, life
seems to have a funny way of throwing curve balls and challenges so I’m
still working on getting a solid routine down and adding in the much
needed cross training on a regular basis. That being said, I have made
some progress during this wacky month and as promised in War and Peace
(a.k.a. my last blog entry), I have included a summary of the month this
far along with some photos for your viewing pleasure.
April 3rd @Crissy Field: This is my absolute favorite running spot in
the city. There is a dirt/sand/gravel surface which is easier on my
pieces and parts than pavement, there are stunning views in every
direction, it’s full of locals and their dogs, tourists (watch out for
the ones who are riding rented bikes while taking pictures and looking
at maps simultaneously!) and is blissfully flat. I managed to get in 6
miles despite getting tripped up by a dog leash and taking a quick stop
to snap a picture for a lovely couple from Sweden.
April 13th @streets of San Francisco: Replaced today’s scheduled run
with an “urban hike” which took me from my house to the ballpark for the
SF Giants opening day and back again after the game (which was SO much
fun!). Hopefully the 12 miles walked will cancel out a few of the
indulgences of the day (although I highly doubt it will even make a
dent). Go Giants!
April 16th @Crissy Field: Look who got new shoes!! Despite being told
to break them in with a few short runs, I took them on a 9 mile test
drive today and am happy to report that they seem to be working out
quite well. I’m still a bit skeptical as they aren’t a wide width (what
I usually require to get the toe box space I need) and they are a brand
I’ve never worn before but the people at Fleet Feet are wise running
machines so keep your fingers crossed and hope for happy parts!
April 18th @Crissy Field: Run number 2 for the new shoes and while I’m wary of letting go of the last of my skepticism (somewhat of a theme for me in general), they seem to be doing the trick. 6 miles in the early morning followed by a few minutes of relaxation with a view of Alcatraz before the rest of my day began… what an amazingly perfect start to the day!
April 20th @Bidwell Park, Chico CA: Bidwell Park in Chico is gorgeous…. and HOT! Decided to try and sneak in 6 miles while visiting my extended family* despite the very warm morning. I made it about 4.5 miles before opting to stop and rest in the shade before my pomegranate colored face explode and the 86 degrees it had become got the best of me. Needless to say, it took great restraint to keep from jumping into the river at the end of my run! *while not technically related, my gorgeous, sweet and amazing friend and her two phenomenally beautiful, talented and remarkable kids are precious presences in my life and, other than the fact that it’s biologically impossible, I like to believe that we are actually related.
So apparently I lied about not writing another horrifyingly long post (and I didn't even have any tequila... I swear!). If you promise to keep reading, I promise to exercise more restraint whenever possible. I swear.
Cheers,
So apparently I lied about not writing another horrifyingly long post (and I didn't even have any tequila... I swear!). If you promise to keep reading, I promise to exercise more restraint whenever possible. I swear.
Cheers,
SF Runner in training
No comments:
Post a Comment