After a brief hiatus from running due to a sore hamstring (though I did continue with yoga), I am back in the saddle. I did not want to be back in the saddle, but my stubborn mind when told that I am not capable of something MADE me get back in the saddle.
Allow me to elaborate on the effects of reverse psychology in my life. I am not a quitter and I never really have been but there are very often times in which I would LIKE to quit and never run/go to school/read/act/work... you get it, ever again. I can remember countless times in my short life when I have been so close to quitting and someone, usually my wonderful mother, will come to me with a comment like, "maybe you just need to drop band so you can focus more on school" and boom, I'm acing band AND all other classes. Or, "it is ok if you need to let your grade in that class slip so you can improve your classes that are worth more credits..." Nope, I'm gonna get straight As and Bs at the end of the semester from 1 B and 3 Ds after that suggestion. Then there is, "Okay, maybe you are right and you did bite off more than you can chew this semester. Maybe you should step down president of that group," Nice try, watch me ace that test I was stressing about this week AND help my group pull of a successful and fun recruitment event.
My mom never tells me to quit things at school because she doesn't think I can do successfully complete them, she suggests it because I don't think i can succeed. Somehow throughout all of my years of schooling and related challenges, these comments are always precursors to me finding success in whatever I am trying to balance or whatever challenge I face. I don't know if she does this on purpose (she probably does), but that is just the way it always works.
Fast forward to today when, after a few days' break from running, I really really did not want to go out and run. It was already about noon when I had time and it is a hot day (about 85 degrees F) I whined and made excuses not to go for a run, which is when boyfriend laughed and said, "you're not actually going to do the half marathon."
I realized then that if 85 degree heat is making me not want to complete a 2 mile walk/run there is NOT A CHANCE I will be running 13.1 miles in probably comparable heat or worse with humidity come this June. "Oh screw that," I thought, "I have a reputation at stake. I am a TINY SHE-TITAN!" And I ran. I had better pacing that I have had on any of my other walk/runs yet and I feel great. I sweat like no one's business (or rather, like a normal person sweats after a run in 70 degree weather, because my body hates me and I don't sweat as much as I should) and I was covered in dirt from the dry paths, plus the dry air plus pollen plus heavy breathing have made me sneezy and nose-burny, but I don't care. I had a good run when I really did not want to run at all. I rock!
well done, there seems to be a big barrier at 3 miles, not that its really hard to run 3 for the first time, but once you are able to get 3 easy, most of the distances after that aren't too big a deal. think how big the difference between 1 mile and 2 miles is, doesn't seem like that much when its the difference between 4 and 5 miles.
ReplyDeleteso yeah, you'll get there, just keep running, especially when its gross out, makes the fair weather running seem much more enjoyable.