March 15th, 2015 - 3.07 Mile Run

The continued prayer is, “Lord keep me focused. Keep my mind stayed on You. Help me to bring You praise. I know You believe in me. Please help me in my unbelief. Amen.”

This was just a regular maintenance run. There was nothing particularly wonderful about it. It was a little slow and it had been a little too long since my previous run, but I had to get this one in.

Today was the L.A. Marathon. I wasn't running it, of course, but I was there in spirit, as I knew a few people who were taking it on.

Lately, running has become more of a mental thing for me. I often find myself wrestling internally.

Should I go? I should go. I'm bummed because I can't go! Look at that lady! She's going! Wish I could go. I should have gotten up early to go. I'm not getting up early to go. No one's paying me to go. It's too cold to go. It's too dark to go. It's too hot to go. When should I go???

The obvious answer to these questions is forever and always "JUST GO!"

That is the challenge this spring and summer. To just go!

The biggest challenge will be working in a run while I'm taking care of these folks.

It may mean that the next few months will be about speed. Not because I want to get faster, exactly, but because I won't have much time to get my workouts in. I will try to keep my sessions under an hour.

This is an interesting challenge for me. I would very much like to PR in the 5k this year, but I can't help feeling a little lame for registering for a 5k. It may sound a bit snobby, but it's not just me!!! I know several runners who won't waste their Race Fees budget on 5ks. Not only that, the last time I did a race and I was stressed out about it because I felt like I hadn't trained well enough, the general consensus was "It's just a 5k. You're an experienced runner. You don't need to train, just go out and do it."

And they were not wrong!! My fitness is certainly at a level where simply finishing a 5k is a matter of course. But finishing well is not to be taken for granted.

I think for this reason, the 5k gets kind of a bad rap. My mother-in-law actually said to me once, "I didn't think you bothered with 5ks anymore."

The sad truth is , part of me wants to be seen this way! Like some racing badass who's too good for a measly 5k. But I know better. I know that I could spend the entire summer trying to PR in the 5k, and fail.

Yes, I would consider 3 miles a short run. Still, an experienced runner always respects the distance.

So that's the plan this summer. Lame or not, I will be on the watch for interesting 5 and 10k races.

And maybe a Half in the Fall. Sound good?

See you on the next run!