I have a confession to make.
It’s Saturday morning. Saturday morning during training season when thousands of runners are up before the sun, pounding the pavement in their Brooks or Asics or Nikes, eating miles for breakfast. And then going out for actual breakfast in still-sweaty running clothes, if you’re like my friends and I.
(That’s not the confession – almost there…)
There’s nothing like a Saturday long run, in my opinion. Waking up, already in your running clothes (umm does anyone else do that?) and heading out the door. Whether you go solo toward your favorite path, meet up with other run-obsessed friends, run while your Dad rides alongside on his bike (Hi Dad!) or however you may choose to get your sweat on, it’s a fabulous feeling to be out there on a mission, reveling in the idea that by the time you’re done with your 16, 18, 20 miles, the majority of people will be sleepily rolling out of bed.
Here’s my confession:
I’m totally fine with the fact that I’m not out there right now.
I know, I know. I’m Ms. “I’m so sad I’m injured I want to run I want to run I want to run all the time blah bah blah”.
But I was feeling pretty content to stay warm in bed and watch the snow fall when I woke up this morning. Don’t judge.
Today, I’m content sitting here with my cup of coffee. Today, I’m okay with being cozy inside as the snow is falling outside, even though it’s an easy option and I’m not typically satisfied with taking the easy route. I may not be able to run, but the gym is waiting for me and I’m excited to pay it a visit.
I know that sometimes the hardest part is actually getting out there. I know that if I was running right now, even if it was one of those days where my legs felt like lead and I could barely summon the motivation to keep moving, I would still be thankful to be out there.
Today, I’m remembering that “long run” feeling fondly; similar to when I think of my faraway friends that I just can’t afford to visit quite yet – but know I will get there eventually…or another analogy that sounds better. You get the idea.
Don’t think I’ll be content in this situation forever, though. Today I am, because I know my body still needs time to recover from an injury. I’m confident that I’ll be out there training on my favorite trails and sidewalks soon enough.
I’ll be at another expo soon enough.
I’ll be at another starting line soon enough.
I’ll be at another finish line soon enough.
Don’t get me wrong; if you’ve visited my blog more than once, you know I’m antsy about getting back to running. Staying content is only okay for so long – I know that I need to get out of my comfort zone and push myself to be a better, stronger runner.
It’s taking all my willpower to not automatically sign up for every Spring/Summer race that NYRR opens registration for on Monday. But I’m liking the time I’m able to spend getting stronger and trying out new ways to get sweaty, which in turn will hopefully prevent future injuries that sideline me from running.
I can’t wait for that day. But for now, I’m surprisingly content.
Because it’s snowing, I will leave you with a picture of Wyatt the Dog in the snow. (From 3 years ago – we barely have any right now).
Wyatt is happy. He loves snow.
How are you workin’ on your fitness this weekend? Did you get up and crush the streets or are you heading to the gym like me?
Have a great weekend, friends! Cheers!
I just started following your blog, can’t remember where I found it, but hi!
Recovering from an injury is tough. I’ve never actually been “injured”, but I was severely anemic a few years ago and had to take time off for that… basically you just try to remember that you have your whole life to run races and that if you miss one, chances are it will be held next year and you can always do it then. Races are fun but then again, it’s just a race, and there are tons of them every Spring and Fall. Plus you can try new ways of working out :).
I live in a warm area so if snow was falling I would definitely stay in bed and not feel guilty about it!
Hi Amy, thanks so much for stopping by and commenting
Yes, taking time off from something you love is always hard, but does help you appreciate it more. (Hope you are doing better!) I think I’m definitely a pro at finding new ways of working out now….and pretty sure I’m going to be a million times more excited for my first race back than I’ve been for most of the other races I’ve run. Can’t wait til I’m back at it!
Laughing out loud! Yesterday was the St Pete Rock and Roll. I kid you not, ALL my friends were there, and some of them had their Mom’s running it too! I ran out of spots for tracking everyone. I was feeling so forlorn, and then…ta dah I stepped outside with my puppy. 31 degrees. in Florida. Yes, I went back and curled up under my comforter and said yep…this time it’s OK! Almost everyone had a PR, I think mostly due to trying to get out of the cold! YOu will have all sorts of expos, starts and finishes in the future…
Haha! That’s too funny. Actually experiencing the freezing temperatures definitely helps you feel better about not being out there!
I ran the Disney Half-Marathon in 2010 and it was SNOWING. I was so looking forward to a warm race but that didn’t happen. I think all the Floridians felt much colder than me, though…I’m used to that weather so I felt bad for them, haha!!