Run, Jessica, Run!

It's been a really long time since I've done a running-as-metaphor-for-life post, so you're welcome in advance.  Hahaha. 

This Saturday, I completed my second race of the year.  Initially, I was planning on running a half marathon, but that didn't work out.  I really, REALLY wanted it to, but it wasn't in the cards.  Any time I tried to do more than 5 or 6 miles, I ended up with such bad shin splint pain that I was worried I'd have to throw in the towel completely on my running career.  As it was, I wasn't even running the whole distance -- I had to use a run/walk cycle for any kind of distance because those dang shins were giving me so many problems!  At the start of my training plan, I was going with a run-1-minute/walk-3-minute combo but as I shifted to a run-2-minutes/walk-4-minutes routine that was also combined with longer mileage, I was left hurting a ton.  It was at this point (about a month ago), after "running" an absolutely brutal 7 miles that I realized I needed to monitor and adjust.  I was so bummed, but at the same time proud of myself for finding a middle ground instead of just quitting outright!  Hahaha.  In general, I tend to have a very all or nothing mindset, so I thought it was very grown up of me to drop from the half marathon to the 10K instead.  And it was the right call!

Before the 10K started.

I really wanted to give my legs a chance to heal, so for the last several weeks I skipped out on training runs during the week (walking a couple of miles each day instead) and only did "long runs" on Saturdays (and no more than 5 miles for any of those) and by this Saturday I was ready to run that 10K!  I decided for race day that I would push a little harder -- especially since I had been so conservative leading up to the big day -- and went for a run-1-minute/walk-2-minutes ratio.  I also decided beforehand that I would run any downhill sections even if it wasn't my running minute.  {Although, to balance things out, I also decided that if my running minute was an uphill climb, I'd give myself permission to walk up it if I needed to. ;) }

The morning of the race was chilly with brilliant sunshine.  In short, it was a GORGEOUS day for a run.  It may have been in the high 20's when the race started, but it didn't feel bad at all and as I ran, I found myself embracing the juxtaposition that while the race was really, really hard it was also really, really great.  I think that's a really necessary reminder for life -- that even when things are really hard, there can still be things that are really great.  Honestly -- that sentiment can sum up the last two years for me personally.  These past couple of years have been REALLY, really hard in a lot of ways, but they've also had some really, really great moments.   And now that the dust is starting to settle on some of those hard things, I'm seeing the brilliant sunshine and I love it.  :)

Post 10K with a 1:33:31 finish time.

And there you have it -- another running story with life lessons attached.  Hahahaha.  I ended up being really happy with my finish time (even if it was a far cry from what I used to be able to run) and I was even happier to realize that even though the last tenth of a mile or so was BRUTAL and I felt like I was dying, as soon as I crossed the finish line, I was already immediately looking forward to my next big race.  ;)  {And spoiler alert -- it WILL be a half marathon.  Hahaha.}