Renewal

Have you ever experienced this on a run?

 

You’re tired and pushing hard but don’t seem to be making much headway. Despite a tremendous mental effort to stay strong, your pace gets slower and slower. Then, without even making a conscious decision, you’re walking. Your body just seems to issue the command: “We’re slowing down. Now.”

 

I’ve been having that experience in every part of my life lately. Since late May, my mind has making a mental list full of items that never seem to get crossed off. Go for a scheduled run? Take a yoga class? Write a blog entry? No check marks beside any of those “to dos”. 

 

For weeks, I’ve been vainly trying to vault myself out of this funk. Nothing seems to work. Apparently, in a funk is where I’ve needed to be. A lazy, disorganized, late-sleeping, junk-food-eating, wine-drinking funk. (And hey, if you've got to be in a funk, let me tell you, that's the best kind.) Finally, I just decided to go with it. I stopped making excuses for not running, or not running long enough. I just let it happen. That was at the beginning of July.

 

Then, a week or two ago, I started looking at potential goal races. I stepped on the scale for the first time in a month (yikes!). I visited other runner’s blogs. I created a training plan for a Fall half marathon.

 

Last weekend, I was camping with my extended family (husband, kids, sisters, niece, nephew, etc.). It was a short trip, so I didn’t think I’d have time to run. But I brought my gear anyways. On Saturday, I was awakened by the footfalls of a runner passing by the dirt path outside our tent. Trying not to think about it too much, I tossed on my gear and headed outside.

 

My sister and her husband suggested a 10K trail through the park. They were concerned about bears though – there have been lots of sightings in the park lately. My sister kindly agreed to accompany me with her bike (equipped with what is apparently a bear-repelling bell). We chatted our way through 10K at a leisurely pace, meeting birds, chipmunks and deer but fortunately, no bears. Afterwards, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time: excitement for my next run.

 

Yesterday, I started back to work after two weeks’ holiday. I brought my running gear (something I’ve been doing a lot lately), then actually used it to run at lunch (something I haven’t been doing much lately). And once more, I’m looking forward to my next run. Last night, I registered for a 5K in September and a half marathon on the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend in October.

 

I can’t say why I slowed down this summer. Like those involuntary walk breaks on a gruelling run, it just needed to happen. I needed to listen to my body, my heart and my mind, and wait for the moment of renewal, when I would be ready to pick up the pace again. Fortunately, that moment seems to have arrived.

Comments

[Kelly]

Nice to hear from you! Will you be in TO for the run on Sept. 27?

[Mel]

welcome back! sometimes you just have to set aside the schedule and go with the flow and it sounds like you've done just that. :)

[Nitmos]

This summer/fall of NOT marathoning has really reinvigorated me. Sometimes, it just needs to be done.

[Aruna]

I have the same feeling with many of the items on my "to-do" list. I don't really feel like doing them. When it's a chore on a list, it sucks. When it's an exciting feeling it makes we want to do it more.

[aka Alice]

I'm kinda looking forward to having a couple of months of not having to train for a race...I'm more than happy to get into the kind of funk you had this summer...(but I'm glad you're back to blogging!)

[Reluctant Runner]

Unfortunately, I won't be in town for the run on the 27th. That run is just too long for the distances I've been doing lately! Hope you're having a good summer. Can't wait to hear about France.

[Rob-bear]

Oh, dear; what a pity! You missed seeing a bear! That would have been a treat. (Great pic, though.) Might have been one of my relatives. No fear of us; we're peculiar but not dangerous. And we like joggers/runners. :)

[Gord]

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hey Theresa, thanks for the motivation to run on the Thanksgiving Weekend. Perhaps it should be more appropriately called the "Thanksgiving Dinner Weekend". Rob will BBQ the bird,(plastic for "those people") Theresa will call in the rest of the family to assist and Dad will do what he does best. My entry will be in the 5K as an incentive to get some serious competition from other family members. Perhaps Rob can find room on the BBQ for a small Chicken if you know what I mean.

[Mary]

That was a great ride that morning! You were very generous not to mention that your cycling sister who suggested the route failed to notice that it was a fairly impressive hill training. No wonder you were pumped at the end of the run...it was beautiful but tough. and let's face it scaredy pants, we were just nervous enough about bears to keep up the pace!

Next time, we go looking for bears! No more running away...only running towards!