Epiphanies and Kryptonite

A while back I wrote about how I was not cut out to be a distance runner, that I didn't understand why I felt the need to run any farther than 4 miles because anything longer than that was just painfully boring....fast forward a few months and about a hundred miles and BAM it turns out I may be cut out to be a distance runner after all. Who'd a thunk it?? I've realized in the past few weeks that after mile 2 or 3 comes "the zone" everyone talks about. I've known for a while that the first mile is just crap, it's like the first pancake of the batch- garbage. My legs just never feel right, my breathing hasn't mellowed and my head still hasn't commited at this point. But if I hang in there, past the first mile, past the second mile it comes. Mile 3 feels good, mile 4 feels good and mile 5 feels like I'm starting to get tired but could go another if I had to. It's still quite odd to me. I still sometimes don't believe that I'm doing it. But on those days where I don't let my head talk me out of it, if I keep on running and pound out the miles, it feels FABULOUS.

Over the past few months I've had some stress- it seems I've given the Men in my life way too much. Too much power, too much control, too much of myself. They have taken too much of my time, self esteem, confidence and I refuse to give them anything more. Running is the ONE THING that I control, I do it for ME and on MY terms. I won't let ANYONE take this from me.

Kryptonite- another lesson learned is that SUN and HEAT are Kryptonite!! I may as well be running underwater with cinder blocks on my feet if it gets too hot! I keep reminding myself that aside from running Summer is my very favorite season and I must enjoy it! Squeeze in a run when it's cool and enjoy the day for what it is. Stay away from 9:00am start times for races because only crazy people run after 8:00am and if you cannot avoid it make sure you have plenty of water with you.... your gonna need it!