I Run Again!

I felt quite discouraged and not a little down on myself for going from Tuesday to Tuesday without running.  I was determined to go running today.  I thought that sentence as I walked into work today, composing my blog post in advance, I suppose.  Then I worried that I would rebel.  You know how I hate being told what to do, even by myself.  I reminded myself all day that I LIKE to run. Furthermore, I did not write a blog post while on break, knowing that I would feel motivated to run and write a Running Commentary post. So here it is.

It has gotten quite warm in the Mohawk Valley.  My place of employment is a bit uncomfortable.  I don’t particularly like to run in the heat, but I can, I do, and today I did.

I also had to do laundry, so I would have clean pants and socks for work tomorrow.  I gathered the laundry (and almost called the whole thing off when I found clean pair of socks after all), then put on running clothes.  As soon as the laundry was in the machine, I got going.

And it was not fun.  When I ran Tuesday, I had first wrestled with the non-power mower and my overgrown front lawn.  Of course that run was difficult.  I naturally expected today’s run to be easier.  It turns out, not so much.  My legs felt like macaroni.  Oh dear!  I told myself to persevere.  I decided I did not have to run very long.  Tuesday I ran 16 minutes.  If I only did that, I would be satisfied.

Down German Street I ran, taking the opposite direction I had taken Tuesday.  Could I cross Main Street?  That is a busy street; I sometimes turn down it rather than cross.  Today I was able to cross.  I turned down the nice path over what used to be a hydraulic canal.  From there I went a block on Grey Street, then to another section of path.  I looked with envy at people’s porches.  It would be way nicer to sit on a  porch than plod down the sidewalk.  I probably looked ridiculous, shuffling along, huffing and puffing.

I had to remind myself several times that I could keep going just about as long as I decide to.  Eventually my legs started to feel a little less as if they were about to collapse under me.  I felt relieved about that.   I did not think they actually would collapse under me, but it was not pleasant for them to feel as if they might.

I ended up running for 21 minutes, by virtue of running past my house to the end of the street, then past my house again on the way back.  I like to run to a whole number, not, for example, 20 minutes 23 seconds.  It’s a thing with me.

As I stretched then went into the basement to put the laundry in the drier, a little voice in my head sang, “I ran! I ran!”  I felt pretty happy with myself.  Tomorrow I have an appointment to get a pedicure (at the Hot Spot Salon and Spa in Herkimer, NY), but I plan to run on Saturday.  Oh, I do like to run!