Reclaiming My Running Mojo
Since my hip issue, running has been really tough. I started back expecting to be able to pick up where I left off, because I would have liked to have been in today’s race, but my body was just not having any of it. Of course, the unbearable heat we’ve been having in the Northeast hasn’t helped much either.
More than not being able to get in a consistent run without walking, I just have not been feeling the running love. I had gotten to a point where I looked forward to getting out for a good run, always knowing that it’s never easy, but it was doable. And when I finished, I felt like I accomplished something great.
Lately, with all of the stupid injury issues, running is just hard again. However long the distance, it’s felt like torturous work; nothing fun about it. Did I mention the sweltering humidity and heat here?
Monday I barely made it a mile and a half before cutting my run short and packing it in for the day. That’s when I decided a race was not in the cards for me this week.
I didn’t run again all week…until yesterday. It was 80 degrees with 80% humidity again, but I can’t keep letting that stop me. It looks like this is the way this summer is just going to be.
I went out anyway, this time with no expectations. I took my 2.5 mile route because I know I can finish that one right now, even with walking, and decided if I had to walk, well, I’d just walk.
It was still a tough run. I’m struggling with my pacing and breathing a bit again. And I did have to walk twice. But if even just for a minute here and there, I felt that old feeling that this is doable. This is kinda fun. This actually feels good.
They were just brief moments, but that’s what I’ve been missing since I went back out on the road after the hip thing.
I’ll run again tomorrow, and every other day until I’m feeling back to my old self (my new self?). And hopefully those brief minutes will turn into longer stretches where the running is more fun than a chore.
Don’t get me wrong. Running is always hard work, for me at least. But when I get those stretches where I settle into my turtle pace, my breathing steadies and my legs feel like they are moving all on their own, it makes the hard part easier to deal with. It’s the feeling I covet when I’m out there trying to get healthy. And I want it back, even if it’s going to take a lot of hard work to get there again.
I know what you mean, we’ve had two very hot weeks here, hotter than it usually is and I find running hard. And it’s not really fun right now. I’m having problems with my long runs because there’s that little voice in my head screaming “I don’t want to do this”. But I try to ignore it and go on because one day my mojo comes back and so will yours!
I have noticed that running now, is harder than when I first started. when I started, I did not have any expectations. Now I do. That makes it harder.
Stick with it- you are going to be back to good in no time!!!