Thursday, October 7, 2010

30 Days, a killer, and a killer run

The 5K is 30 days from today. I've decided that I HAVE to have a race to look forward to from now on if I am going to stay in the habit of running. I was going to say, "If I'm going to FORCE myself to run," but the truth is I haven't felt forced. In this, my third attempt at becoming a runner, I am truly enjoying myself. Maybe it's because I don't have the scary idea of a half-marathon, something I may never do again or could exceed some day in the future, staring me in the face. Since I have been looking forward to my daily run, I was incredibly irritated when I missed it on Tuesday of this week.

At the end of the school day, I got a text message from Michael warning me that there was a random shooter miles from our house. Because I was working late, I wouldn't get home in time to run with him. Thus, my run was cancelled due to a killer. I know it's horrible that this irritated me. I'm aware that one family lost a loved one and that two others (one distantly connected to me) are blessed to have the people they love, but will forever be changed from the incident. Even knowing all of that, I was irritated that a crazy man was keeping me from my normal routine. I mean, isn't that how we let the terrorists win? I digress...

Yesterday, despite the fact that the killer had not been caught, I went for a run. The fact that I didn't use the uncaught killer as a phenomenal excuse to ditch my run is yet another example of how I am becoming a runner. In the past when I've been running, I would take ANY excuse to stay a home. "What's that you say? It might possibly rain in Detroit? Well, I had probably skip my run in case it blows this way." Although my mother was against me being outside for 30+ minutes by myself with a killer on the loose, I laced up my running shoes and headed out.

I knew I would at least run the 2.6 I had done on Monday, but contemplated doing the last .5 to get to the 5K distance. However, I remembered one of my running blog sites talking about doing "too much, too fast" so I decided that 2.6 for two runs in a row would suffice. What resulted was nothing less than a killer run! I did my 2.6 miles in 29:05! I averaged 11:12. It felt amazing! It has also fueled a desire in me to wait for it...start running for time?! Wow. I'm that person. Not completely that person, I mean I'm not going to be shutting down 8 or 9 minute miles any time soon, but to do my 5K in 30? That would be amazing. Fortunately, I have 30 days to work toward that.

At least now I know that if I do encounter that killer, I can run away!

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