Everybody's Got a Story to Tell

Last night was the last night of my Women's Running camp. I met some folks although I'm not sure I ever knew their names. And while I didn't create lasting friendships (because it was a short camp which met once a week and I missed 3 weeks) it was great fun to be in a group of women, gathering to do what we all love. I enjoyed going each week. We ended with a timed mile, just like we started with in the first session. I ran 8:50. Exactly the time of the TC 1-Mile and 6 seconds slower than my one mile time in the first week of camp. I think I'll try the 1 mile distance once per month and see if I improve. The slower time was a bit discouraging, but at least it's consistent I suppose.

After the run they usually have a speaker come in to talk about different aspects of running. Last night they had the senior women's group from MDRA talk in a panel format. It was so interesting. It just goes to show you that every body's got a story to tell about how they became runners or why they continue to run. I could have listened to every women in that room go around and tell about why they are runners. It's so personal and unique to each person. Anybody who has worked to train for anything from a 5k to an ultra-marathon or even those who never race and just started by going around the block know what it's like to have to pull from your inner strength and go beyond what you though you were capable of. It's inspiring to think about. It leaves me speechless. It makes me tingly and all I can do is nod in agreement. But that chord in your heart flares up when you hear other people's stories because they are playing the same identifiable chord that is in you.

What's next for me, well, Grandma's Half is coming up June 20th. I want to rock and/or roll that race! It's flat. It's less than a month away. It's flat. I can run my little heart out. Also, I am 89% sure I am going to sign up for the Fall Marathon Training program through MDRA. I'm not sure if this is the right year for me to do a marathon but I have the time to train for one, so I thought heck, why not. My feeling is that I won't be a marathon runner but rather a 1/2 or 10 mile runner. I think to put that much time (and effort!) into training for that distance will wear me out; become a job. But who knows. I vowed I would never run over 10 miles either. So I'm not saying 'never' I just am feeling like probably not at the moment. But the training group is something I am really looking forward to!

Something new: I was thinking that it would be great to be a 10 min/mile runner. Just on average. Very occasionally have I run 10 min/miles for any distance. Very occasionally. But tonight for my run I am going to do two things. 1. Run the whole way - 5 mi. (no 1 min walk breaks every 10 min) and 2. Pretend I am a 10 min/mile runner. What if I just run 6 mph. And just see how simple it can be. Maybe it's cuz I just never tried it before. So tonight I'll try. Maybe this is ridiculous because I've never tried to run a 5 min/mile either and I don't have delusions that I can. But I think it's good to not always have preconceived notions about what you can't do. Isn't that just setting myself up for not being able to do it? Don't they say something like "If you think you can't, your right"?