I am going to cut to the chase here. I read The 100 Best, Most Interesting Running Blogs of 2014 and I will say that they all inspire me...if I was competing for an Ironman. These are the runners I want to be, but I haven't even completed a 5-K yet. Can't run before you learn how to walk (like what I did there?). I need a blog for the people (like me!) who are just learning how to put one foot in front of the other, differentiating between a sports injury and a poop cramp, and just learning the running lingo that there is out there. I need a dictionary for this kind of thing! Not to mention, it is hard for me to get the motivation to crawl out of bed at the crack of dawn from a ten year marathon runner on her difficulty training for the latest Triathlon. Not there yet. I will be, but not yet.
So BAM! Running North With Cats was born and I am here to tell you: Lets take these baby steps together and learn what this running thing is all about.
What is the first thing? Something to work towards. I don't have a race in mind yet, but I will assure you that when I do, you will be the first to know. In the meantime, lets work towards getting the running thing down in this kind of weather: Winter.
We will start with a motivational story. It is called The Little Old Couple.
This past Wednesday, I set out a goal for myself to go beyond the end of my road (total loop 2.5 miles) and venture out to bring my total loop to 3.5 miles. I felt I was ready for this added mile. The last time I did this though, as you read through my mission statement, was when I hurt my foot really bad and was set back about a week (that's a long time in newbie world). I was feeling it that morning though. Pumped, music up loud, my mind in the happy clouds - I am going to do this! The weather was crappy! That's okay though, feeling good and nothing is going to stop me. I set out and got to the end of my road. I turned right and kept going. Now, at this point, I have completed two hills and the road I set out on was an ever so slight decline, which would make the coming back at an ever so slight incline. Just enough to get my heart rate pumping. I was feeling good. Ran the decline and turned around at 1.75 miles for the journey home. At this point in my run, it is about 38 degrees out, misting this cold, damping rain. I have snot running and my eyes are tearing. I make it up the slight incline and turned back onto my road. I see cars driving past and I know they are trying hard to not get me any more soaked than I already am. One car slows down to a stop in the middle of the road next to me. At this point, my fight or flight response is ignited, my hackles are up because I can see this old man trying to talk to me while I am in my groove of a run. ERR! There is nothing I hate more than being interrupted. He is moving his mouth and of course, my music is 12 octaves higher than an infant screaming, so I gave probably a nasty look and ripped the buds out of my ear. I said, "I'm sorry?" assuming he is lost or needs help finding his runaway puppy. He says to me, "It is so motivating to see you out here in this weather. You are an inspiration. Keep it up." His tiny old wife is in the passenger seat is smiling and waving and well, my cold, wet, frigid heart just melted. I said exasperated, "Thank you!" with a huge grin and they sped up down the road. Nothing gets you motivated to complete the task at hand than a little love from another human being. Well, I kicked that 3.5 miles ass! Rain, cold, snot, and all.
Today, please don't be afraid to tell someone that they are doing a good job. It can be anything. Another runner or a stranger at the gym. They may not realize that they have been waiting for someone to take notice. It changed my whole day, people and I cannot wait to do it for someone else!
Yesterday's Run
I have really stepped up my distance lately. I swear it is the little old couple. Regardless, here are my stats:
Distance: 3.95 miles
Time: 1:03:28
First mile pace: 14:43 min/mi
Average pace: 16:04 min/mi
Average HR: 160 BPM
Peak HR: 172 BPM
Calories: 949
I don't know what these are going to mean to anyone, except to people starting out like me who will know that the pace is slow, but getting better every time I get out there. I am so proud of where I am and I hope you readers can be proud of what you have accomplished as well. I wont post my stats here anymore on the blog part, but on a new page so you all can track my progress. I love seeing how I am ever changing. Gotta start somewhere!
Today's Run
BITTER COLD. I will say it again. BITTER! It was 12 degrees out with windchill factor 5 degrees. I wasn't going to go out and the weather was the perfect excuse to stay in bed after feeding fur children. However, now that I have a blog about running, kinda have to be a runner and that is frigid weather and all! My upper body was sore from integrating push-ups (with the gym ball thingy) into my post run workout to gain definition to my top half. My legs felt fine after yesterday and that's the body part I need to get out there, so out I went! Beautiful sunrise and crystal dew fresh on the ground. Not many cars either. It was a quiet, peaceful morning run. Couldn't feel the cold after the first mile, but that could have been the hypothermia setting in.
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In pet news, as the dogs ran off into the cornfields in search of goose poop, there were two white blobs in a tree far off into the distance after my run. I love birds and though my sweat had turned to ice and my thighs were being pierced with tiny needles, I had to find out what they were. Oh, and had to get the dogs back. Out we went with camera and binoculars. This is as close as we got before the dogs scared them off. Juvenile Coopers Hawk? That is what we gathered from Ornithologist Google.
Until next time!
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