Speed is Relative

This is not about speed, by the way. I don't care about speed. Speed is for suckers. I'm going for distance, and endurance, and time measured in hours, and possibly days. A half marathon in half a day sounds good to me. As I used to tell my fire crew-mates who were amazed that I passed the "pack test" (the fitness test where you carry a 40 lb pack for 4 miles in under 45 minutes), I'm more of a mule than a racehorse. But not in that drug smuggling way.

Ever since I started running again last October, I told myself that I would be relaxed, and non-crazy, and listen to my body. And by gods, that's what I've been doing. If the body needs sleep, I sleep in instead of run. If the body needs yoga, I do yoga. If the body needs to walk instead of run for a while... you got it. Those are the same principles that Chi Running applies, in a more formal and well-thought-out way, and which I am practicing right now. Miss Nancy turned me on to the Chi Running last year, and I have to say it's done wonders for my lack of injuries, and relative endurance, so far. More on that later.

We have a training schedule for Team Challenge, but I haven't been keeping to it religiously. (just a little joke there, Coach Carrie and Coach Tim! ha ha! Seriously!) I've been listening more to my body than a piece of paper is what I'm saying. This morning, I ran about 3 miles in 35 minutes. Not bad, I guess, especially because by the mid-point my shoes were utterly soaked, and every step was marked by a distinct squishing sound. Also, I wasn't dressed warmly enough for the chilly morning, and the combo kinda killed my mojo. No excuses. I AM SLOW. AND PROUD.

Since I prefer to run on soft surfaces like grass, and am fortunate enough to live near a long greenway where I can do this, the grass is often still wet from the sprinklers first thing in the morning - and thus gooshy. A few months ago I came home from a run with those little tiny slugs all over my shoes. Ick! I pointed them out to my husband, who dryly remarked, "you musta been going really slow."

So much for his idea of using sex as a "recovery day" activity.