Why I Run…

This may come as a bit of a surprise, considering how often I write about running and races here, but I do not love running. In fact, most of the time, I don’t even like it. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I laced up my sneakers and went for a run just because I felt like it.  Most often, it’s because I have a run scheduled on my training plan. Even when I’m not signed up for a race, it’s usually just because I feel like I should go for a run because I need to get some exercise, not because I actually want to or enjoy it.

To date, I have run nearly fifty races (there are four I still need to add to that list, including a 5K PR!).  So why do I sign up for so many races if I don’t love running? Because even if I don’t particularly enjoy the physical act of running most days, I do love the excitement of race day. I love the feeling of accomplishment I get when I run a strong race. I love seeing actual improvement in my fitness and my ability and my race times. I love that I’ve run three half marathons, when I dreaded long run days on track and never wanted to do anything other than sprints. I love setting goals, working towards them, reaching them, and setting new ones and starting the cycle again.

So no, I haven’t yet developed a love for running itself. I haven’t reached that point where I feel like I just need to go for a run, just for the sake of running. I still need to sign up for long races, like a  half marathon this October, to motivate myself to get out there a few times a week. But every once in a while, I have one of those really great runs that make me think maybe, just maybe, the day where I can say I actually love to run… just run… isn’t that far off.

Bits and Pieces…

• I love the Olympics. I’ve been staying off of Twitter and avoiding the news during the day as much as possible so I don’t learn the results before I can watch them. My favorite athlete right now is probably Missy Franklin… she’s so sweet and genuine.  I can’t stand the gymnastics announcers.  I have the same complaints about the NBC coverage as most people – while I’ll cut them some slack with only playing the big events and puff pieces during prime time because their business is ratings, I do not understand how they can spoil the results we’re about to see during the broadcast.  I’m Team Phelps, not Team Lochte.  (I think Lochte is a total douche.)  And I’ve been staying up way past my bedtime, but I have to remember it’s only two weeks every two years.

• We’re planning a few vacations over the next few months. We already have a Vermont trip in September booked, bookended with two New England weddings.  We want to go to Barbados for a long weekend to celebrate our anniversary (which sadly conflicts with The Blathering), but still need to actually book the flight and hotel we’ve picked out. And a friend is moving to London for 6 months, so I really want to go to visit while we have a free place to stay – maybe in late January or early February.  And I really want to try to plan a long weekend with my high school chicas… I might just need to fly out to LA.

• I signed up for a half marathon in October.  I’ve realized that I totally slack off in my workouts without having a race to motivate me.  I wasn’t thrilled with my race in March, but I half-assed my training quite a bit and really just did the bare minimum needed to finish.  I don’t want to just finish this time, though… I want to finish as strongly as I did when I ran the half marathon in March 2011.

• A friend told me the other day, “Silently, you developed quite the reputation as the master of baked goods.” This makes me so happy.

• Adam and I have nearly perfected throwing an easy Friday night dinner party. The secret? Mexican food. So delicious, so easy.  Throw together a slaw the night before (they’re always better the next day anyway), make some beans (with some garlic, onions, and a jalapeno) in the slow cooker while at work, throw some rice in the rice cooker when you get home (we add in some frozen cilantro cubes), grill up some veggies and protein, and heat up some corn tortillas. Serve with easy guac (just mashed avocados, lime and salt), pre-made salsa, cheese and sour cream. Mix up a pitcher of margaritas if you’re so inclined.