Every time I finish a run, I log it in an online running log. I do this in part to keep track of how far I'm running and how often, and in part because I absolutely love filling in those little windows and watching my latest run pop up in my monthly stats in a pretty color-referenced table. Runs are blue, swims are green, cycling is red, yoga is yellow. I know...I have issues. However, if I didn't do this, I wouldn't know that I'd run 90.5 kilometeres so far in January, which equates to running the entire length of this country, and back again, plus an extra 10K on the end just for fun. A year ago, I probably couldn't have run to the end of my backyard without feeling like I was going to keel over, hack up a lung, and then die a slow and painful death on the lawn, amongst the dandelions and the dog crap left behind by our neighbor's wayward hound. Now, I finish feeling great and ready for the day, even though the long flight of stairs up to our apartment is far more difficult than normal and my legs are wobbly in the shower. It does take a toll on my morning solo dance party, but I'm proud of how far I've come.


I've cut back from 5 times a week to 4, for the sake of my annoyed knee, but I'm coddling it with scheduled rest days now, ice packs here and there, and a daily glucosamine complex to make it stop whining at some point in the very near future. It ran 6.5 km this morning pain-free and I'm bumping it to 7 km at the end of this week, when I will hit my original running goal, set last November. I'm thinking that this deserves a present. And, I'm thinking that the present to me, from me, should be an iPod shuffle, since it's hard to talk to Kurt when I'm running and he's riding the bike behind me, and I don't derive a lot of pleasure from talking to myself, so some Madonna would be welcome. I don't want to risk my regular iPod on the road, and the shuffles are just so damn cute, with their cute colors and little clips. Awwww.

Geographically, I think the most distance I can get out of my route is no more than 8 or 8.5 km, unless I want to start running in circles or into the ocean, but that's a fine distance for me. Any further than that and I'd have to be out of bed at 5:00 a.m., which could be a problem.
It may not be getting any easier to climb out of a warm bed for, but I'm into it.

3 comments:

Katie said...

Can I have the link to this online thing you're talking about? I am quite random about my runs. I go where the wind blows me to keep things interesting so it's kind of hard to log, but I think that would be cool to see.. Good for you! I lovee running too :)

p.s how goes the dairy elimination?
p.p.s I have resurrected my blog..

Kristin. said...

For sure...I just messaged you with links in F-book.

P.S. Dairy elimination - day 5 - eyes are still watering, but all other issues are gone. GONE. Hmm. Perhaps we should be doctors?

P.P.S. Fantastic news on the blog front. I left you in my link list because I knew you'd come back one day. :-)

Anonymous said...

Can I have the link too? Maybe it would help me get back into running after a 1.5 year (or more) hiatus. A change in the weather might help too. I can't help it...I don't like treadmills. And I like winter less.

Wanna come back to town for the National Caapital Race Weekend? My goal is to run the 10K, though I'd be just as pleased with myself if i could run the 5K without any pain...

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