Running Late, But Running

I bet some of you thought Saturday Running Commentary was never coming back.  Well, I certainly did not expect it to return today, but here I am, a little sore of leg but ready to type.

I worked this morning so missed the early morning run I usually enjoy on a Saturday.  When I got home from work I was hungry.  Also, my dog looked so happy to see me, I hated to leave him again so soon.  So I ate, called my parents, got on the computer, puttered around and eventually laid down on the couch with a headache.  I kept thinking I ought to run.  For one reason, I hadn’t run since Tuesday.  But it seemed clear that I was not going to.  I should perhaps mention that I am going through an intense bout of I Don’t Feel Like Doing ANYTHING lately (oh, don’t tell me that the only cure for that is to DO something, I know that, everybody knows that, just be quiet and keep reading).

Finally, around 3 o’clock, I saw on Facebook that a friend had just gone running.  For goodness sake, if she could do it, I could do it.  I finally got my fat butt out the door.

It was warm and humid.  The breeze was absolute heaven when it blew.  Alas, it did not blow very often.  Never mind; one thing I know how to do is to persevere.  I decided to run up the hill to Herkimer College.  I have been telling all and sundry that I intend to run the DARE 5K in August.   It would behoove me to be prepared.

It was not too dreadful going up the hill. It wasn’t fun, of course.  I suppose it was somewhat dreadful.  However, it was not TOO dreadful.  Just so I’m clear on that point.  As I shuffled, I thought about the DARE 5K.  Many people walk up that hill on the DARE run.  I, however, do not.  My shuffle is not much of a run, but dammit, I call it running.

Sometimes when I run, I think somebody I know might see me.  Sometimes someone does, and when I run into them later, they say, “I saw you running.”  In my head, I answered, “Huffing and puffing like the overweight, middle-aged lady I am.”  Then I thought, “I use ‘lady’ in a very broad sense.”  Then I added, “And that is appropriate, because, unlike Joan Crawford, I do not take offense at being referred to as a ‘broad.'”

That little bit of imaginary dialogue pleased me so much I kept running uphill and by the buildings of the college, instead of following the road straight to the downhill part, as I had planned to do.  I made it all the way to the gymnasium.  Next time perhaps I’ll keep going around the athletic fields.  As it was, I was feeling quite tired, out of breath and macaroni of legs.  I cut across the parking lot instead of hugging the perimeter and thus making my run a little longer.  I felt rather naughty doing so, but I can’t be  motivated and dedicated every minute.

Finally I was on Reservoir Road and headed downhill.  Phew!  My relief was not as profound as I had hoped.  I kept waiting for the endorphins to kick in, or at least the I Can Rock This stage.  Neither happened, but that was OK.  I made a mental note to myself to NOT take three days off running in the future, but on the whole I felt quite pleased that I had gotten myself out the door and on the road.

I plan to run again tomorrow and perhaps Monday AND Tuesday.  Could this be the start of another streak?  I ran 10 days in a row during shut-down.  I think I’ll see how many days I can go when working full-time and going to play rehearsals.  I’ll let you know how I do.