For the first time in a few weeks, I set my alarm to get up and run. Not at the scary o'clock hour I usually require when school is in session. I had to get up at 6:00. Totally reasonable. I, of course, I did not exactly leap out of bed when the alarm rang but I didn't assume the fetal position and whimper either. I'll take it!
It was certainly not my Toughest Tuesday Tough Grrrllll session. I ran just over a mile and a half, did some strength training, and ran home. It felt exactly right. Not tough... but right.
Yesterday was my first run in several days due to Hurricane Prep (Saturday) followed by Hurricane Rains (Sunday). Let me say that there are many in our area who scoff and say it was a blown out of proportion. I feel like that is not only inaccurate, it's very insensitive to those who lost their lives, those who lost their homes, those who lost power indefinitely, and those who will be out working to restore infrastructure for the next goodness-knows-how-long. Granted, in our immediate area we suffered from not much more than a VERY windy and rainy day (and EXCEPTIONALLY windy night) but why do we belittle the scientists who warned us to get ready?
Sorry. Enough about that. As I was saying, Monday was my first run in a few days. It felt exceptionally rejuvenating. Sometimes when you are in the thick of training and getting your run on 5 days a week or so, you forget how vital those endorphins and that think time is to your body and brain and spirit. Yesterday I trotted along on an easy four miler, took in the mostly mundane but sometimes alarming storm damage in my area, and I enjoyed every second. And, I came up with this analogy that I'm kind of pleased with:
I like to shower everyday. I like to run everyday. Both of those activities are good for me, but with very different outcomes, obviously.
Sometimes, like when I go camping or we are without power, I can't shower every day. Sometimes, like when I am sick or there is a hurricane, I can't run everyday.
Everyone knows that amazing feeling that you enjoy when you have a sudsy, hot, long shower after a few days without one. But, not everyone knows that the EXACT feeling is what I get when I run after a few days off.
My pores get scoured from the inside out by sweat. My head is cleaned and rinsed of cobwebs and worries. My legs are scrubbed anew with the effort of pushing up a hill.
It's SO damn good.
And of course, taking a run after a few days off is best followed by that TRADITIONAL sudsy, hot, long shower. Otherwise, you tend to lose friends.
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