This was going to be my update where I told you that I’ve diligently followed my training plan since my last post, and that’s true. But that’s not the interesting story. I’m going to skip the details of my other runs, rest days and kickboxing classes. This morning, the most amazing thing happened: my run was easy.
To give you an idea of my level of commitment to the training program, I set my alarm for 6:00 a.m. on a Saturday so I would have time to get out and complete the scheduled 4-mile run before my usual Pilates session. For reasons unknown, I woke on my own at 5:30 and rolled out of bed by my own volition at 5:50. And then I went running.
I started out strong with a startlingly fast (for me) first mile in which I ran most of the way, rather than runwalking. Then I slowed down and plotted my plan of attack for the second half of my outbound journey, a long uphill grade mixed with some steep climbs. Before I knew it, I was already more than two miles from home, so I turned around and headed back for a total loop of 4.67 miles at a slightly faster than normal overall pace.
By the time I got back home, I was smiling. It’s not often that I feel like a real runner, but today was one of those days. Usually I feel like I’m dragging lead feet, but today I felt light. It was almost effortless, the kind that makes you think that you can take on the hills of San Francisco without a second thought.
Since I was going to Pilates afterward, I didn’t bother to take the time to stretch, and instead used my session to work out the kinks. This was genius. I love Pilates, but I’ve never, ever had a session that felt so good. By the time I left the studio, I felt like an entirely new person.
These are the days when I completely and totally understand why people run.