Some days are better than others

Why are some days so hard and other so easy? Distance makes no difference. Monday was a 3 mile run and it was easy. Tuesday was a trail – I’ll tell you about the excitement later – but it was easy. This morning it felt like I didn’t know how to run at all. My legs didn’t work right. Every step felt “jerky.” My breathing was erratic. It was like I had never run before. I don’t understand. Especially at the beginning of the run but somewhere after the first mile it began to change. Thankfully!

I have run complete distances and never found a rhythm, that’s very uncomfortable and no FUN! I run because I enjoy it. Period! I love the way it feels to run and the way it feels to be done. I get lost somewhere when I’m out there, especially at 4:00 am when I have the road to myself. But if things hadn’t smoothed out this morning and stopped heading into the “NO FUN” zone, well, I guess I would have just finished and come home as planned…

Tuesday we were running at Shawnee Mission Park. I am totally sold on the trails. You don’t get to zone out like on pavement but I love being in the woods. We had just started running and I was leading. As I was cruising along, looking at the path before me and then scanning 8 to 10 feet ahead to see what is coming, I looked down and on the trail was a snake! I couldn’t say anything fast enough to let my running friend know what it was – so all that came out was a loud squeaky noise as I passed over the slithery critter. He apparently had time to “move” as she passed over him! It was great! We had to stop to regain composure (after we got a distance from him). I’m not really afraid of snakes. I just wasn’t expecting to see one stretched across the trail. His head was on one side of the trail with his tail off the other. That makes him about 18 to 21 inches long. I learned later that he was a Red Milk Snake – not poisonous in any way. Again, I just didn’t expect him. I hadn’t seen any snakes on any of my runs – the deer, squirrels, possum, skunks – they’ve all been there but no snakes yet! Now I can say I’ve seen one on the trails. Mark that box and go on…

In the beginning...

Where do I begin?? I started out wanting to run one marathon - something I had always wanted to do. Somewhere along the way I fell in love with ultra running! I've completed two marathons and one ultra. I am planning on a 50K in July, the Tahoe Triple in September, The Nike Marathon in October and a 50 miler in December. There will be something in August and November – just not completely sure yet… How does that happen???

I can explain part of it - I started running with Team in Training in 2004. We have a fantastic coach - Koach Karl. His dedication to us and the integrity with which he does it is amazing. The rest…Well…It lets me find that “quiet” place inside. The one you hear about from people who meditate or pray a lot. Running is my form of meditation I guess.

I have also learned that I LOVE running on trails. Although you can’t “zone out” quite so much out there as on pavement, there is definitely something about running in the woods!

Back to Team in Training...this program allows you to train for a marathon while raising funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. When I began the program, it was about me... I wanted to run a marathon and figured this would be a great way to do it. Somewhere along the way though that changed. You learn that it (the program) isn't about you. It's about what you are doing to help patients and their families. It touches you somewhere inside and you come back season after season to raise money. Your family sees the change it makes in you and doesn't mind as much when you keep hitting them up for donations. It truly makes a difference in a person as well as the in the community in which one lives.

Soooo If you feel like donating sometime please visit my link at the right. It will be money well spent!