Saturday, September 6, 2008

Catching Up

I've been a little remiss in my blog posts lately, sorry, got some catching up to do.  To be frank I'm a little burned out from running, hills, fartleks, speed, tempo, lsd, and on and on.  Training for the Full Mary alone is not particularly joyful.  My training for Minneapolis started 3 days following the Manitoba Marathon so I've been training solid for about 6 months straight.  In a group you can whittle away the miles with idle chatter and share a few laughs.  We take comfort in a group because we know that your buddies right by your side feel exactly the same way as you... we can identify with one another and this tends to ease the burden.  The monotony of those long runs (like tomorrow's 20 miler) plays on the mind.  You need to stay focused and keep the negative stuff out of the brain.  This is sometimes easier said then done.  So, long story short, I was bummed out, bored with running, and not finding a lot of satisfaction... thus the stingy blog posts.
That was yesterday.  Today I joined the Corydon and Wentworth crew for a fabulous 5 miler to the Forks and back and I feel great!  I had forgotten what it like running with a large group and listening to all the laughter and chit chat, getting caught up with the buds and generally just having a great time.  This is such an amazing group of people, so positive and welcoming.  I am so honored to run along side these friends.  Coffee talk following the run was the icing on the cake... thank you for the run and the time together; you have no idea how it energized me. Tomorrow's 20 miler will be a piece of cake thanks to you!
By the way, if you have running related aches and pains you might want to check out Jen's Blog (August 13).  She talks about foam rollers that literally "roll out" the pain.  A lot of runners swear by these foam gizmos. 
I'm hoping to compile the quintessential Runner's Play List and I need you help.  I'm asking you to send me the name of the tune that gets you pumped up, the tune that gets you across the line, the tune that inspires you and tweaks your soul in the right places, the tune that tugs away at your heart and causes you to reflect at the 20 mile mark, the tune you play as you enter the chute, or cross the start line.  It can be fast, slow, country, metal, pop, grunge, classical, jazz, whatever turns the crank.  My only request is it's available on i-Tunes.  I will compile the playlist on i--Tunes for anyone to download.  It would be great if you could tell  me why this tune is an important to you or if it belongs at the beginning, the middle or the end of the playlist (think of 2 hour run, where would you like to hear it?).   I hope some of you participate; it'll keep my mind out the negative place of late.  Thanks.
Bye for now, it's a damn good day to be alive don't you think?
Oh yeah, the good news... 2 weeks to taper!  Good luck to everyone running the Treherne next Sunday... especially Mario who's doing the Full Mary.  Awesome Mario, awesome!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Re: playlist..."Jolene" by the White Stripes...'cause every time I hear it, I can see the long downhill stretch before me after the hills of Treherne.

Unknown said...

Thanks Anonymous, I know the song well... and I know the hill well. I can see how the two go together. Thanks, M