training 10/14

I almost talked myself out of running tonight. I really didn't want to go. My right calf started hurting again. I really wanted to skip. But the kids went to bed easier and earlier than most nights, especially Sundays, and at 7:45, I found myself donning my running shoes.

I went out the door finally at 8:15, got to the end of the street and turned around to come home. I felt a couple of raindrops and thought I would skip. But I stood at the corner trying to decide what to do and it stopped, so onward I went.

I walked the first 3 miles. As I said earlier, my calf is hurting again. I tried running a little while and decided not to push it. I would just walk. I don't have to run a half marathon, I can walk it. I still need to train to walk 13 miles, so I walked.

After 3 miles, I thought maybe I saw lightning. At first I tried to convince myself that it was the streetlights flashing behind blowing tree limbs. But after a few flashes, I knew it was lighting. I kept going. I crossed Midway and the farthest point from home. I knew now I just had to get home, there was no turning around. That's when the sprinkles started. I got to the end of the block and the rain started. I turned the corner and started running. If I was going to be out the in the rain, I wasn't going to walk through it. The rain really started coming down. I was soaked and dripping. But I thought, at least it isn't a downpour. I got to Alta Vista and thought, I could turn here and go to the S's house. I could ask them to take me home. I was all set to turn when I checked my watch. It was 9:20. They have a 3 week old baby. I couldn't show up soaking wet at 9:30 and ask for a ride home. I kept going. The rain came down harder. I was almost to Northaven and miserable when I saw a car headed toward me come to a stop. If this was a woman offering me a ride home, I was taking it. But I ran past the car only to realize they wanted to turn left into a driveway. I turned down Northaven and thought less than 2 miles to go. I can do this. That's when the torrential downpour started. Waves of rain, wind blowing, ankle deep puddles of water. I was miserable but I kept running. Then I noticed that the Lenny Kravitz song, Stand by My Woman, was playing on my ipod. I don't normally run with the ipod, but boy was I glad I had it then. I turned up the music and ran through the storm.

The rain slowed down to a trickle when I had a couple of blocks to go. I was about to stop running and walk the rest of the way but God had other notions. I was slowing down while trying to convince myself that I could keep running. But I was also wet and miserable and tired. Just as I was going to stop and walk, there was a clap of thunder and another burst of rain. I ran the rest of the way home.

When I got home, Chris asked if I was alright. He's been sick in bed all weekend but he was contemplating getting a neighbor to stay with the kids and go searching for me. It seems I ran through a purple storm on the radar. I could have told him that!

I now know what I need to make me run. The longest I had run until tonight was 2 miles. Tonight I ran about 3 miles in 37 minutes. All I need is a torrential downpour and I'm good. Let's see how I feel in the morning.



Running schedule Oct 7

• Wednesday - 4 miles
• Thursday - 4 miles
• Saturday - 3 miles
• Sunday - 6 miles

Running schedule Oct 14

• Tuesday - 4 miles
• Thursday - 5 miles
• Saturday - 3 miles
• Sunday - 9 miles