"The Great Thing About Athletics is That it's Like Poker...

 sometimes you know what's in your hand and it may be a load of rubbish, but you've got to keep up the front".
--Sebastian Coe

3K @ 7'44
Today's run was adequate. I am not overly impressed with my pace time for that distance. Today's weather was absolutely gorgeous and I was expecting a really quick run. I guess I couldn't really expect much running the day after St Patrick's day. I was pretty tight and didn't loosen up and was having one of those days where I feel so slow and plodding and I was reminding myself that I AM a runner.

I am a runner...I was really getting down on myself , everything just felt off. Then in an odd coincidence, I bumped into a co-worker and she said "Oh, do you run around here?" I AM A RUNNER HUZZAH! This happened a mere 400 metres until the end of my run. Hope everyone enjoyed their St Patty's day.

In the Zone

4.52 k @ 7'42

Today's run felt really good. I actually was exhausted when I finished. I could have sworn I ran farther than that. As previously mentioned as I jog I often ponder the topic of my blog as I move along. Today I didn't have a topic by the end of my run. I was really just feeling the run and didn't even really pay attention to my music. Normally I spend a lot of time shuffling through songs to find just the right song while I'm out. I can tell when I'm really concentrating on my run when I don't even know what song is playting.

I was on my least favourite route because it's a gradual uphill on the way back and then there's a brief steep uphill on my last block. I was TIRED today on the way back. So I guess to answer my pondery in the last blog about pushing myself and how innate it is was answered. For me, it's partially automatic.

I'm getting closer to the 5 K marker. Soon I will be there again, my race is going to be here before I know it. I was happy that my time was under 8 minutes it's a good sign for race day.

“You cannot propel yourself forward by patting yourself on the back.”

4.52 K @ 7'38/k

I came across the title of this entry the other day. I'm not really a motivational quote kind of person but this one stuck out to me. When I jog I know that I can push myself harder and don't. I have this thing where I'm afraid I'm gonna run out of gas and I'd rather do a 5 K in 40 minutes than 3 in 20. When I go I often think "at least I'm doing something" When I talk to others they say well at least you're out there, I don't do anything. When is just doing it not enough anymore?

I'm a recreational runner. I know I'm never gonna be a competitive runner. I do it because I enjoy it. Yes, I like it when my pace times decrease. Yes, I like it when I see the kilometres rack up. But, should I be pushing myself more? I think it's a personal choice. After I had run in the 5 K race in May there were several compounding issues that made me just absolutely unable to run. My body would NOT do it. At that point I'd say that an "at least I'm doing it" mentality would have been acceptable.

I'm just stuck right now trying to decide if I should get out of this self congratulatory behaviour when I could do more, but I am getting out there...and that IS good. I'm hoping that I'll just become more results oriented and driven naturally once I start picking up the pace more consistently.