My very wise uncle once told me “Emily, never challenge worse” probably while helping me with integrals in calc 2. He also told me never to drink and derive, but that is another story altogether. Tonight I set out to run 5 miles, but my heart just wasn’t in it. It was enjoyable to be outside getting some exercise and the weather was really nice. NOTICE: this story is about to get a tad personal and please excuse my potty mouth. After about 1 mile I really had to go to the bathroom. The nearest ones were about 2.5 miles away. The faster I ran the more I had to go. It was uncomfortable. My heart was tired. I barely made it in time; I mean the bushes were starting to look good, but I thought if people have to pick up after their dogs I suppose I would have to pick up after myself so I tried to think of other things. Ok. Continue running. Still no groove. I started thinking about how Stella got her groove back, but I have never seen anyone who looked remotely like Taye Diggs running around Lake Calhoun. But if I did see him, I think I could run pretty fast after him! So that plan was out anyway. I walked for a bit. (a bit = .15 miles) The Rocky theme came on my iPod and I was off running again. I managed to finish 4.8 miles and was even starting to pick up the pace. But like I said earlier, I must have been tired because my heart was tired. I could just feel it. It was sluggish and didn’t feel like it was keeping up with the rest of my body. I still had at least half a mile to walk home so I didn’t feel bad about not completing 5. Ha! If only I had know. I thought the run was bad. I thought that I was slow and sluggish and hungry but I finished and things couldn’t get any worse now because I was done. When you say things can’t get worse, Worse takes it personally and says “Oh my child, let me show you just how worse it can get”.

First it was sprinkling then it was raining then it was pouring. I started at a full on sprint uphill mind you just to get as close to home as I could. I finally had to take refuge with a biker gang under the canopy of a Super America gas station. Sweat was burning in my eyes as the rain washed it down my face making it impossible to see. I waited there just long enough for my body to cool down and get really cold. When I thought it had let up enough I took off running for the last 3 blocks of home. Turns out it was still raining pretty hard and I was soaked. My shoes were soaking and my feet were sliding around which was no comfort for my already blistered feet. I was shivering and dripping wet by the time I got home. Nothing a hot shower and some Chinese food couldn’t fix. There is something to be said for skipping a run if it is starting to rain. I thought that was just a tired excuse. Most of the time it is I guess, but sometimes you really don’t want to be out there.