Round and Round and Round I go...

Alright. All right. All righty then. I have to, I just have to, do a running post. 


It's just been too long. 


I just have to. 


Don't worry. I've been writing about my running - it's just that I've been sharing it with my "running listserv" of friends instead of my blog. :) 


It has been tough staying motivated. 


Well, really, it hasn't been so tough to stay motivated, but more that it has been tough to find time to be motivated. 


So, running has taken somewhat of a backseat lately. 


I am very pleased to report that I ran today though. It was a tough run, but it felt good. We went to the YMCA, despite the wonderful outdoor weather. 


One thing I've learned is that my running does not only take a large amount of devotion and commitment from me and my body. It takes a large amount of dedication and love from my family. So, sometimes I have to sacrifice a good outdoor run for a stuffy indoor run on the YMCA's track. Tonight, the kids wanted to play at the Y and Brad wanted to lift. How can you complain about a family that actually enjoys the time while you are running? 


So, around and around and around the indoor track, I ran. I won't say it was exactly interesting. There are only so many ways to count to 96. That's how many laps it takes to run 6 miles. There are only so many times that you can pass the same walking person without feeling like you are being obnoxious. There are only so many times that I can curse the skinny girls that might be 15 who are walking on the track at the absolute slowest pace ever, as they share an Ipod. Yes, I said share it... meaning they each have one of the ear buds in their ear and they are walking close together and listening to the music together as they pace as slowly as possible around the track. I nearly run over them or into them at least 20 times. 


Honestly, I wasn't having nice thoughts about these girls. I was really frustrated every time I had to pass them, squeezing between them and the wall, as they chattered on oblivious to the fact that they were in the way. I was annoyed by their short shorts, their blonde highlights, and their shared Ipod. I was aggravated that they continued to be on the track for the entire hour that I ran. I found it entirely irritating that the one girl's boyfriend kept coming on to the track to talk to the girls and making it even more difficult to run.


And, then, I thought, "You know. I should be nicer. I should be happy these little girls aren't smoking, drinking, or climbing into some guy's backseat. I should be nice. If this is the worst thing these girls are doing, then there is hope for the world. I would be happy if when Bailey is that age, this is the most annoying thing she does." 


So, I changed my crappy perspective and fought against my natural instincts to shove the girls over the ledge of the upstairs track. :) 


As always, I digress. 


I have to admit that by the time I hit mile 4, I was really hoping that Brad was going to come out and run with me (he did that last week at about 4.5 miles). I kept watching for him, hoping that he'd be ready to push me along the last 2 miles without any problems. Yet... he didn't show up until I was at 5.5 miles. 


Oh well... I still made it. And, had it not been for the hole that I could feel forming in my sock and the cramp that was working its way into my calf, I think I could have gone to mile number 7. But I didn't. As a matter of fact, there seems to be this little block on my ability to move past the 6th mile. I don't know how I will ever be ready for a half marathon. Beyond the mental block that I seem to have about going farther than 6 miles, I find it really hard to not get bored after I've run for an hour. 


New music time? Yes. I would guess so. :) I know, Dawn. I'm still not a real runner until I give that up. If it makes you feel better... I forgot my mp3 player tonight and had to run without music. It was not horrible. :)