Running is one of those things that got into my blood. I
craved it. Four years ago, I went from having a desk job & not running to
thinking of 10 miles as a short run.
Then, life got crazy, and we’re not talking brain surgery. In
the same month, my office closed, I bought a house and moved. Running got put on the back burner. Now,
I’m scratching to get back to the fitness level I now expect from myself.
Psychologically, I’m in a different place. I don’t have to prove a brain tumor is going to control me— The responsibility of running and staying fit takes a different psychological stamina. The paradigm of 5 years ago is a big shift – Running is a major part of my life. It’s one of the criteria I used when looking at houses. If I didn’t feel safe running in the neighborhood, then I knew the house was not for me. I purchased a house in a neighborhood that for the most part is not part of the grid system – there is a network of cal du sacs and seemingly dead-end streets that restart a couple hundred yards away from the alleged dead end.
Psychologically, I’m in a different place. I don’t have to prove a brain tumor is going to control me— The responsibility of running and staying fit takes a different psychological stamina. The paradigm of 5 years ago is a big shift – Running is a major part of my life. It’s one of the criteria I used when looking at houses. If I didn’t feel safe running in the neighborhood, then I knew the house was not for me. I purchased a house in a neighborhood that for the most part is not part of the grid system – there is a network of cal du sacs and seemingly dead-end streets that restart a couple hundred yards away from the alleged dead end.
It’s a great place to run. But, with the lack of consistent
work looming over my head, running
seems to be a luxury. My friend Jeanette Soloma at #SolomaFitness pointed out that I should run even if it’s
only a mile. This was a dose of my own medicine as I know I’ve blogged about
that in the past. Some running is better than nothing. My muscles aren’t as
strong as they used to be, but I can still do 3 miles. Muscle memory kicks in and
I go. I also recognize that the excitement of rebuilding muscles and
neuro-pathways to run every day could be a slippery slope… I know I can do 5 so
I push for 5. That is not wise for the first long run. I don’t want to over-do
it and then not want to run the next day, or worse, injure myself. I’m focusing
on alternating hard/soft work out days. One day 3 miles the next day 2 or 2 and
the next day one. Slowly rebuilding what I had. A mid-distance 5 miler is not
far off then I can get back to the short 10 mile runs on the weekend. Even in
my current state, 10 miles is my favorite distance. As I work to get back to
the distance I love, I will continue to build in speed work. I have two half
marathons this fall with the goal to PR on at least one of them. The future
continues to look bright.
