5.54@ 7'47
On this Good Friday I ran my least favourite route which is North up Upper Ottawa. The way back is mostly a slight incline and as much as I enjoy running uphill I don't enjoy running up slope. As I've discussed, I often contemplate my blog while I run. Today I was at a bit of a loss. Perfect weather, running a normal route, mediocre pace time...but, it is Good Friday and I started thinking about sacrifice.
What do I sacrifice to run? I really came up with nothing. As I went along I came up with time, money and walking. With running you risk injury, as I've experienced. So I sacrificed walking for a few weeks and still occasionally experience pain from that. Money- I need shoes and I do invest in some proper running clothes. As for time? I give up about two hours a week to run. If I were to weigh all of these sacrifices they still outweigh the positive that I get from running.
The pain is insignificant, and had I been more assertive in pursuing proper diagnosis and seeing a Dr who would have been better able to understand the injury I would have recovered sooner. So to my readers: go to your GP, ER and walk in clinic Drs do not have a specialized enough knowledge to diagnosis. There- that sacrifice has now benefited tens of readers. The sacrifice of cash is outweighed by the physical and mental benefits of running. My blood pressure and sugars are lower when I run, those are immediate results that I can measure as soon as I get home. There are multiple other benefits, my agility has improved and I walk into far less things, I can run to catch buses faster and over greater distance and not be out of breath when I get on, and my weight hasn't significantly increased even though I eat like garbage (yes, it's not the best for my Diabetes but something I am going to start to work on this month since my exercise schedule has reached a level I am content with). I invest about $200 a year in clothes for running. Largely due to shoes. This year I've run 30 times. This means I have paid $6.67 per run. In 3 months. Technically this year I have paid a grand total of $15 for a headband. So, I have paid 50 cents per run this year. Doing this math actually made me feel pretty good about running. Before the end of the year I may have to invest in new shoes, really, that's the priciest piece of equipment. Lastly, running also gives me two hours to myself where my mind can wander and I can have a bit of peace. I often find myself focused on running or the music I'm listening to, my mind is clear. This is something I can never achieve at any other time. Meditation is NOT my thing. What I realized is that running is not a sacrifice. I gain so much more from it that I had ever expected.
I enjoyed my mini reflection today while I ran and what I've accomplished in 3 months. I've dropped my pace time by about 30 seconds and my average distance has increased by a kilometre. That's pretty darn good if I do say so myself!
I also want to take the opportunity to thank my Dad, Mandy, Sarah and Crystal for their support and donation to me for my race. There's currently a foodbank shortage so I know the money will go far to feed hundreds with the Daily Bread Foodbank. Even greater I want to thank those who read and respond to my blog. It offers me great motivation to continue.
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