And I Ran

Thanks to the great weather, I was able to run outside on Sunday. It didn't go as well as I would have liked. Taking a few weeks off around the holiday to eat a ton of bad food, does not do help your cardiovascular fitness one bit. Now, I was not a great runner before this little break, heck I was lucky to go for 4 miles at a time, but since I just started in June last year I felt good about it.

Now it is almost like starting over, except I can start at 2.5 miles instead of .5. So that's something. As usual, I started off way too fast. At about the half mile mark I thought I was going to die, then I slowed down, got into a rhythm and didn't feel that way until 1.5 miles. The last mile was spent tricking myself.

Brain: "OK, let's just go to that next street sign. "

Me: "OK, I'm here. "

Brain: "No, I meant that one over there. "

Me: "OK, OK, I'm almost there. "

Brain: " What about to that truck up ahead, it's not dark yet."

Me: "OK, I think I can do that." I slow down as I reach the truck.

Brain: "No, not this truck, that red one ahead."

Me: Smacking my head, "No, you didn't say that truck! I know what you meant, It's my brain after all!"

Brain: "Don't be a wuss. What about that Dean Karnazes book you are reading? If he can run 200 miles you can do two!"

Me: "OK , I'll do 2 miles."

Brain: "What about 2.5?"

That is how I usually run, I bargain and trick myself to get to the distance, or time, I want to accomplish. Hey, if it works for Dean Karnazes to run 200 miles, it's got to work for me.

Tonight I get to run on the treadmill. Not my favorite place to run, but I need to be ready for the Shamrock Shuffle.