on running

I’ve been thinking a lot about running lately. I’m learning more and more that I’m a real goal oriented person – which explains a lot about the procrastination thing, because if I were more PROCESS oriented I wouldn’t put things off like I do. So running and training for races seems like the ideal way to exercise towards a goal. Now that my knee doctor has said that my knee is “almost as good as new” (which is as good as they’ll go) it also makes me realize that without the goal of rehab, I need another reason to stay active. When I stopped running after the 5K in the fall I noticed right away that my knee responded poorly to the loss of movement.

so my new strategy is to start training for 5Ks. I’m trying to sucker people into running races with me all over the place in an effort to keep myself motivated to go to the gym. I’ve mentioned it to a friend who lives in Montreal, so I hope we can connect in the spring or summer for a 5K up there. Meredith and I (and potentially Michelle too) are planning to run the Freihofer’s 5K for Women on June 2nd. Team Lois (Michelle and I) have also tentatively planned to run a 5K around the metro NY area in May, as well as travel to Pittsburgh for the Great Race (a 10K!). And also, I’m trying to talk my company into sponsering a whole bunch of us to run in the Verizon Wireless Corporate Classic 5K on July 19th.

I’ve started back on the couch-to-5K again (I picked up at week 4, though, it’s nice to start in the middle!) (oh, and I can’t speak highly enough of this program) and it’s going pretty great – especially considering how long it’s been since I’ve run. my body is so tough and forgiving. I’ll miss out on running while I’m in Japan but with my big feet and the whole “backpacking” thing I’m not going to bring workout clothes with me. Hopefully Michelle and I can pick a 5K sometime in mid-May, I think that would be wonderful (maybe the wall street heart run on May 22?).

I never really thought I liked running – and that’s probably true. scratch that, I like running but JOGGING I don’t enjoy. But I do like being good at things. I do like succeeding at things. And I think that running is something I can be good at if I work at it. Hence this goal-oriented training program. Plus, the whole RUNNING thing. I do love the feeling you get when you’re going fast and you feel like a million bucks and it’s beautiful weather and you just feel like a coil of boundless energy. It’s the toil to get to that point that I’m not a fan of! but the goal is so very worth it. and I’m so thankful I have so many kind people in my life that I can talk into running these things with!