Those Pesky Muscle Fibers!

So, let me tell you how my four-mile run went today: Fricken' amazing!

Looks like something out of Sleepy Hollow.

 Yup, snow is coming!

However, I didn't know this until I was DONE with it, but all the same, I kicked some ass today.

Mile 1: I started my run with a new playlist that I had put together. First song was a Sawyer Brown with "The Race Is On" and before I give you a chance to be pissy that only George Jones owns that song (as in his amazing voice), Sawyer Brown does it with a faster pace that makes me feel like I could run a full marathon, like, today. Making it the ONLY country song you will ever find on my running playlist. Okay, so going along, I decide that I may not do my normal, you know, run for two miles then turn around and go back. No, I had bigger dreams after the first song and decided that I will do this entire loop I have been planning but been too scared to do because I don’t know the "terrain." Can you use the word "terrain" to describe roads? Going to do it! What is the worse that could happen?

            1) Would have to call Eric to pick me up because I can't finish it. He would find me in a ball of tears on the side of the road. Unlikely, but it is a way out.

            2) I could walk the rest of the way.

My pace was slow (15:09) and I started to think that maybe I wasn’t up for this kind of a run. It took a lot of effort it seemed to go up the second steep hill of my normal route, but once I reached the top, things started to feel a little easier. I also at this point passed a fellow runner. All the times that I have been out there, never have I seen another runner. He was an older man, clearly a seasoned runner (I could tell in his face) and he was very polite when we passed. You know that is proper runner etiquette, right, to give notice to other runners? I did not know this, for I have am very shy around any strangers, but read on another blog about how RUDE it is to not look up from your run (even if you are in the zone) to say hello. I make it a point to say hello to everyone I meet. There is an old lady whom I see walking on occasions while I run and I am very bubbly towards her. She, not so much, but hey, it's okay. No hard feelings.

Mile 2: Picked up the pace a little bit, or so I thought. It was an ever so slight decline as I turned right off my road, the second side of my route (that would make a square). I was having difficulty finding good music at this point. Pissed off actually at how crappy I made my music playlist. I ventured farther down this road then I ever had before and came upon a black pickup truck just randomly parked on the side of the road. It freaks me out, I have no idea why. I took the mini pepper spray out of my sleeve and was ready for combat, just in case it was a creeper. It occupied my thoughts for the last half mile of mile two of how I would karate fight and kick and run really fast to safety. But no creepers today. I turned onto another road, side three of my square loop. And then I saw it…

Mile 3: A very large hill…it might as well been a mountain people! I had done two hills already and was not mentally prepared for this third. Do I call Eric? Should I start walking? No, I can do this…I CAN DO THIS! It was hard. Oh, and let me tell you, I have never wanted a drink of water so bad in my life. Up until today, I have never brought water with me because I do not like to carry it with all the sloshing and the bouncing of weight. I need balance, so I keep the water at home. No way, not anymore will I do that! I will find a way to attach some container of water to my person. I was so thirsty. SO THIRSTY! I imagined that maybe somebody was watching me from the farm up ahead of me through the window, watching a fat girl running and would think, "gee, she may like some water." and bring me a tall glass full. No, it never happened. I kept on, dry mouth and all.

So, that feeling where you no longer hear your music blaring in your ears anymore and there is no pretty views or words of encouragement from anyone that could make you feel good or pumped to be running anymore? This must be the feeling that I read about for marathon runners who are coming up to mile 20 and want to give up, strangle people on the side lines when hearing them shout, "just a little bit more to go!" Yeah, that is what I was starting to feel like. I didn’t know where I was or the terrain (yeah, I am going to use it), I just knew that I was in the last stretch (0.75 miles to go) as I turned on to the main road that would lead me back to my house. All that is left is you and that voice in your head that you make compromises with, that starts to tell you that maybe you are not ready for it, that stupid little voice that just won't shut the hell up because it never has anything nice to say. Oh, and that main road? Yeah, there is a fricken' Mount Everest of a hill that I realized, "DUH, of course there is because you have to go up in order to come back down!" See, I knew there was a big hill to come down for the final stretch before my house on the corner. I guess I forgot the part that leads up to it.

So at this point, I am dying. I am seriously dehydrated. I want to stop and walk so badly right now. My entire body hurts, muscles in my legs that up until this point after these hills, I didn’t know existed. I may have almost been in tears. But, I'm going, pushing hard, talking to myself (yup, out loud). Cars are passing by and I think the only thing that stopped me at that moment in the middle of the hill from walking was the fact that I could imagine all the people in the cars laughing at me and telling me that I couldn't do it. I didn’t want to look like an idiot or at least any more so than I did. I was so close to the end if I could hold out just a little longer. I am really grunting now, talking loud, "Come on, come on!" I am swearing and kind of screaming (with any voice I have left). And you know what everyone? I was somehow at the top and it was literally downhill from there. I was so happy and I just booked it. I was RUNNING now. Not the jog I just did up the hill, but running fast. I was like the fat kid chasing after an ice cream truck. I could see my house, I could see the end, and most importantly, I could see my success.

Never in my entire 27 years of existence have I ever pushed my body this hard. And voluntarily. And for fun. This must be the "runner's high" that professional runners talk about. Incredible stuff.

So, I like this loop. I remember that muscle fibers get bored with the same old thing. Today's loop proved that. I am hurting in my chest, lower calf muscles and near my Achilles tendons, arms, thighs, and butt. What a workout from the hills! I found my new loop for the next few weeks until I change it up, confusing those pesky, needy muscle fibers yet again!

After ALL that, hills and all? I made the SAME time as my other four miler the other day!

How I will be sleeping tonight!

What goals did you all accomplish today?

Until next time!