I Think I Can, I Think I Can...

I fell off the wagon.

OOOF!

I had a terrible run on Friday. It was forced, and achy, and just all around not a good time.
Saturday morning I woke up just not feelin' it.
So I skipped.

Sunday, was supposed to be my rest day but I got my butt out of bed.

(at 10.)

I put on my running clothes, went downstairs, poured a cup of coffee, ate my yogurt, and sat in front of the TV and watched an entire Planet Earth DVD.

Then the Vegas Race.

Seriously. NASCAR on a 65" TV. It's like you're driving!

Then I did some yard work. Moved the fire pit to a "prettier" spot.
Burned some brush. Made a mulch box. Chased the horses. Played with the puppies.

Basically everything that I've been putting off since we moved.

Monday came.

I've totally talked myself down. I'm just not feeling it. I don't want to run. In fact, I'm dreading it, but I know if I don't that I'll make an excuse every single day and never get back in the game (or my cute shorts.)

So, I went home. I started dinner. I changed into my running clothes, and down the road I went.

Warm-up: stretching the shoulders, talking myself up, breath-in breathe-out.
Run 3 walk 1: singing Free Fallin' makes 4 minutes pass quickly.
Run 3 walk 1: feeling pretty good.
Run 1 1/2: up a big ass hill.
Curse myself for thinking I could run up that hill, after 2 days off, and not want to lay down and die at the top.
Walk 45 seconds: until the world stops spinning, calves stop screaming, and the fire in my lungs is extinguished.
Run 5!: downhill momentum is a beautiful thing.
Walk 1
Run 4: to impress the 3 passing cars heavy traffic.
Cool down.

I did it! I got back out there and ran.

I Am Wonder Woman!

I was back in time to finish making dinner before the Cowboy got home.

A bottle of water. Meat, Rice, Veggie.

A (honestly, just one.) (large.) glass of "Mommy Juice".

By 8:00, I was dead to the world!

and I feel AWESOME!

Run DONE!

Last year I was envious of my sister and her neighbor. They joined a local running club and ran four nights a week plus Saturday mornings, to train for the marathon. Every time I logged into Facebook I would see their posts: "Run Done! ..." I so wanted to be out there running, but was the queen of excuses as to why I couldn't...

I live on a highway.
I have to make dinner.
There are 30 horses to feed.
The fridge has all this beer in it and if I don't drink it - it's just going to sit there in the dark .... how tragic would that be?!

This year, I live in the country. I'm a half-mile from the road and mile in from "main road to town", there are only 3 horses to feed, the kids can start dinner, and the Cowboy will definitely drink all the beer if I decide not to partake.

Win Win Win! I get to go run and I have no excuses not to. PLUS! I live 2 miles from a lake with some pretty fantastic trails. While it's still muddy on the upper routes, I discovered a great, mostly flat, path that is .9 miles and circles the entire lake.

I'm new to this whole running thing so I'm taking it slow. I got a 5 minute warm-up of brisk walking, the ran 2 minutes / walked 1 minute, for 20 minutes, then a 10 minute cool down and some simple stretching. Stretching is definitely my favorite things about exercising. Even when I dont realise how much I'm working, feeling my muscles lengthen, and breathe when I'm done working them, is so incredibly soothing.

An unexpected perk of running after work, I was actually pleasant when I got home the second time. After my initial drop and escape - where I drop off Monkey, change into work out clothes, and bolt back out the door - I got some quiet, me time, did something healthy that made me feel good, and when I got home I actually wanted to make dinner and converse with my family instead of mixing a drink and zoning out in front of the TV hoping to catch some elusive quiet.

(I know that quiet in front of the TV sounds contradictory; but I dont actually listen to the TV. It's just on to allow my brain to shut down.)

Today, I'm heading out into the sunshine for a lunch walk, and tonight I run again! Tomorrow is my first day to rest.

~Cheers!