Day 19

Today's run was one of those experiences I live for, when it comes to the physical aspects of training. As Christian and I departed on what was to be a 40'ish minute run I felt like crap. The first few strides were borderline painful, my feet hurt, my hips felt creaky, and I thought I was in for a loooong 40 minutes ahead. Yet, this turned out to be one of those moments where seemingly out of the blue everything shifted; my body became fluid yet strong and I noticed that my breathing rate was hardly elevated. It seemed odd at first. Since getting back into running last fall, nearly all my running sessions have been rather challenging and uncomfortable, so at first I couldn't figure out what was going on. Part of me felt like I should back off and pace myself, but I didn't. Rather, I decided to see where this might go and I picked up my pace until the effort became a little uncomfortable. It became increasingly odd, it was as if the jogging stroller was rolling away from me and even on the slight inclines, I felt like I was chasing the darn thing! The last couple miles I just accepted what I was experiencing and enjoying the moment of effortless effort. When I finished my route, I hit the "stop" button on my watch and was amazed that it read "32:00". Nearly 10 minutes faster than what it usually takes me to complete the loop!

After almost 10 months of continuous effort, today I finally felt like a runner. All those nights of running through the freezing rain last winter were worth it. All those days of running in the heat and humidity of the day were worth it. I felt home again.

I have been at this game long enough to know that my next run may not feel any where near as fantastic as today's, it was a gift. Yet I also know that by remaining diligent, there will be other moments and experiences as serene as today and beyond...

Here's to you finding a similar moment in your workout and in your life.

In Peace,
Chris