Hi friends! Happy spring! I kicked off the first day of spring with a six-mile run. While it was a perfectly comfortable running temperature and the sun was shining over the city, I was hesitant about doing this run.
I did an hour-long yoga class (for the first time in years!) at my gym on Friday, and I woke up Saturday morning with a sore lower back and legs. It makes sense that my legs would be sore from holding poses, but I was surprised about my back giving me grief. I decided to make Saturday a Rest Day and to do the run on Sunday. My back became more sore throughout the day, but I did my rolling, stretching, and heating therapy in hopes to make it better faster. Sunday morning came, and I decided to go through with the run. I'd try three or four miles.
I felt so good after two miles that I decided to keep going. I was flying. I decided to go six miles. I get to three miles once I hit the famous Castaways on North Avenue Beach. Once I turn around and run home, that's six miles. I've done it many times with no problems at all.
I felt so good after two miles that I decided to keep going. I was flying. I decided to go six miles. I get to three miles once I hit the famous Castaways on North Avenue Beach. Once I turn around and run home, that's six miles. I've done it many times with no problems at all.
I snapped some pictures and then turned around towards the north.
Then, I was hit by a solid wall of wind. I instantly understood why the previous two miles along the lake were so easy. I then dreadfully knew that the next two miles would be torturous. The wind was assisting me southward, and now I had to fight it going north. While I've experienced the wrath of Chicago's wind force before, this was the worst of it. Tears were flying out of my eyes and into the air. I couldn't breathe. I was almost choking on phlegm. I had to stop and walk.
While I walked, I watched other people run past me (struggling, but still going). I wondered how I could ever become a better runner if I couldn't even handle this stupid wind. How could I ever run 13.1 miles? Every time I've tried to increase my mileage in the past, something bad happened (I pulled my sartorius muscle, I hurt my lower back so badly that I couldn't walk [not from running, but it affected it nonetheless], or I became too busy or stressed.). I was stewing in negativity while walking. I quickened my pace to a run again, only to be pushed back by the wind. I was panting. I forced myself to go up a bridge, one foot in front of the other, only to give up and start walking again before I hit the top. Worse thoughts entered my head. Maybe I'm still too tired from yoga. But yoga was two days ago. I'm pathetic. More people ran past me. I became more discouraged. I'm a failure. I'm never going to run a half marathon. I'm slow. I suck.
Finally, after another person passed me, I started to run again. I passed the person who just passed me, and I veered off of the Lakeshore path, under the Belmont bridge, and out of the wind. I ran the last 1.1 miles home without stopping (except for at a traffic light). I put one foot in front of the other quickly, even though my lungs burned and I wanted to stop. I made it home. I looked at my phone and saw that, even with my walking, I made it from start to finish in under 60 minutes. I was getting faster. Suddenly, I was hopeful again.
I stretched, rolled, showered, iced, and simultaneously made myself a smoothie with fresh coffee, a frozen banana, vanilla whey protein powder, natural peanut butter, and cinnamon. Then, I volunteered at PAWS for a few hours while digesting what had happened to me that morning (and my smoothie).
While I walked, I watched other people run past me (struggling, but still going). I wondered how I could ever become a better runner if I couldn't even handle this stupid wind. How could I ever run 13.1 miles? Every time I've tried to increase my mileage in the past, something bad happened (I pulled my sartorius muscle, I hurt my lower back so badly that I couldn't walk [not from running, but it affected it nonetheless], or I became too busy or stressed.). I was stewing in negativity while walking. I quickened my pace to a run again, only to be pushed back by the wind. I was panting. I forced myself to go up a bridge, one foot in front of the other, only to give up and start walking again before I hit the top. Worse thoughts entered my head. Maybe I'm still too tired from yoga. But yoga was two days ago. I'm pathetic. More people ran past me. I became more discouraged. I'm a failure. I'm never going to run a half marathon. I'm slow. I suck.
Finally, after another person passed me, I started to run again. I passed the person who just passed me, and I veered off of the Lakeshore path, under the Belmont bridge, and out of the wind. I ran the last 1.1 miles home without stopping (except for at a traffic light). I put one foot in front of the other quickly, even though my lungs burned and I wanted to stop. I made it home. I looked at my phone and saw that, even with my walking, I made it from start to finish in under 60 minutes. I was getting faster. Suddenly, I was hopeful again.
I stretched, rolled, showered, iced, and simultaneously made myself a smoothie with fresh coffee, a frozen banana, vanilla whey protein powder, natural peanut butter, and cinnamon. Then, I volunteered at PAWS for a few hours while digesting what had happened to me that morning (and my smoothie).
I know my story will sound dramatic to some people. It's just a run. It's not a big deal. I know that I will never be a professional runner. I'll never win a race. I'll probably never be able to run faster than a 9.5-minute mile during a long race, because I'm just not equipped for it. Running makes my knees hurt. I'm injury-prone. I'm allergic to it. Seriously. I become bright red and itchy after about five minutes if I go too many months without doing it (outdoors or indoors, any time of the year). Regardless, there is no other exercise that makes me feel more accomplished, gives me more internal struggles, allows more personal time with myself, and pushes me to succeed more than running. Running is the only exercise that gives me a runner's high. Nothing can beat that feeling.
I am going to run a half marathon this year whether I have to walk or crawl. I'll be back out on the path next weekend, wind or no wind. That's the only way to get better.
I hope that there are others who can relate to this story and put on their shoes and run despite the challenges!
I am going to run a half marathon this year whether I have to walk or crawl. I'll be back out on the path next weekend, wind or no wind. That's the only way to get better.
I hope that there are others who can relate to this story and put on their shoes and run despite the challenges!
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