Running

I've had my computer off and in a drawer for most of spring break. I promise I've been thinking about things but I just don't feel like blog posting them right now.

So instead I'll tell you about the run I went on today. Because it is the greatest thing I have accomplished in my collegiate sports career. Better than running cross country regionals, better than placing at conference. I could no height the rest of the season and I will be GLOWING because of today. This post will be boring and pointless to 98% of people. But I don't care.

Today, I got home from church (after a few minor stops with Lily) and I ate some brunch. I probably wasn't that prepared for this run, but you know what, that's ok.

I left brunch and it was raining, and pretty cold. This made me reconsider this whole running thing, because I had this goal of doing a long run called airport.

Airport is the longest of three running options that we sometimes have. The shortest is called pig farm, for hopefully obvious reasons. The middle is called mini airport and the longest one is called airport. They all finish on the same road, which conveniently takes you right back to campus. In my years of running at Beloit, I have never managed to make it all the way out to airport. Today was to be the day.

So it was raining, but I decided to suck it up and go for it anyway. At least I wore my baseball hat.

I wore my watch, but I didn't time myself because I didn't want to give myself the option of quitting, and if I knew how long I'd been running, I might just give myself permission to turn around ( I expected it to take between 90 minutes and 2 hours). No, this was going to happen.

Now you might be wondering how to not be miserable on this wet freezing run. Good question.

I listened to hymns for a long time. My pace was good, and I didn't walk at all. I actually kept telling myself to slow down for awhile because I didn't want to get tired out but eventually I just let myself go.

When I finally hit Colley Road, it was time for the packing play list. I call it that, but really it's what I listen to before track meets and on the treadmill. And when I pack. It's really weird. Don't judge me.

There was one point when I was basically frozen solid and my clothes were stuck to my skin and I just suddenly got really tired, and if it hadn't been raining I probably would have just laid down on the road. But thankfully, it was soaking wet and there were tons of puddles so my best option was to keep running. I got faster the closer I got to campus, which is technically what you're supposed to do on a long run but I never really do. And then I barely stepped into my room and my clothes were off and I was in the shower.

Showering after freezing rain runs is really strange because it takes me at least 5 minutes to figure out the water temperature, and to actually feel it.

I drank coffee, which I'm sure is not something you're supposed to do right after a run and eventually drank some water and ate an orange. I plan on doing nothing the rest of the day.

I remember talking with some non-runners once and they said, "I don't know how you guys have energy for that" And we said, "Oh, we just don't have energy for anything else. Like walking upstairs"

Also, I'm not even all the way unpacked from spring break 1 (Boston). I wonder how long I can go. I didn't unpack from Senegal all the way until 7 months after I got back....

Running is hard. But occasionally, it's worth it.