Summer Sorrows 6/2/09

if you were to peruse my training mile you would see a sincere yet inconsistent attempt towards 30 miles a week. for many of you thats nothing, but its been this magic number for me for months. each time i get close, i get derailed. mostly by the ever-lurking "bursitis," sometimes by illness or that week-long monsoon we had last month, but now summer in savannah is in full swing. whether i run at 3pm or 3am, i'm destined for a sweat-soaked humidity-drenched experience. pushing my 4 year old in the jogging stroller adds to it, she's not so eager for our outings anymore either.

so, even though my first half marathon is on the horizon (sept. 6th), i am letting go of my magic number in lieu of being able to keep a consistant base. today, nursing a pulled muscle in my glutius, i got off the bench and set out, determined to only go 3-ish miles, my shortest run in about 2 months, and IT FELT GREAT! it was over so quickly, and my mood was much more delightful than it has been in too long while on a run. since when did i start believing one needs to put in atleast 5-6 miles a day to qualify for a real workout anyways?! ach, even typing that, a little voice in my head is arguing, "yeah, but...."

tomorrow i'm taking it a step further. i've started praying on my runs for my neighborhood, for the people i pass, the houses, the school, etc. Lily and I are baking cookies and bagging them with a little note for each one, and tomorrow we will pass them out to those we see while on our run, in hopes to bless their day and let them know they are being prayed for. This means running and stopping. I cringe at the thought. My stubborn thinking has always said "if you have to stop for any reason, whether to walk or whatever, the run is ruined." i know, i have issues.