Adversity or a little bit of rain

I am in the final push of marathon training right now.  I have a week and a half of hard training left and then I taper until the race.  This means that I don't want to skip any of my training runs.  I want to eek the last bit of fitness out of every run that I can.  I have this fear of waking up on the morning of my marathon, eating my breakfast, getting to the start line and suddenly realizing that I am not trained for the race I am about to start.  I think it is a bit like having that nightmare of going to school and walking down the hall with every one staring at you only to realize that you are naked!  Now I will likely dream that I am running the marathon naked and untrained.  What could possibly be worse?!

Yesterday morning I woke up with joy in my heart ready to drop the kids off at school and go for my run.  One Munchkin was hard to rouse from sleep and when I finally did manage to wake him his feeble zombie moans dashed my plans of running.  Plan B!  Curl up on the couch with a tiny, curly headed blond zombie and drink tea and watch movies.  Fine, I thought, I would run in the evening after back to school night ended.  It would be dark but I have a head lamp and there is a track less than a block from my house.  As the day wore on, my throat hurt more, and my energy started to wane a little.  I knew I was going to need an extra push to get out of the door for my run.  I posted on facebook requesting that my friends and family cheer me on.  I know myself well enough to know that I won't let down friends and family who expect me to get out there and run.

Fast forward to the end of back to school night.  It went a little long and there were friendly face that I wanted to chat with as well.  As I walked up the dark street to my parking spot it was sprinkling on me.  I thought about that impending run and wasn't so certain anymore.  I thought about putting it off until the next morning but was also aware that I might still have one sick zombie Munchkin at home. By the time I had made the eight minute drive home two things had happened: I had made up my mind to run in the rain and it had started to pour.  My dear husband was not so certain that I was in my right mind.  He gently urged me to stay home.  I see his point but here is the thing: sometimes running is about overcoming adversity.  When I wake up the morning of the race it doesn't really matter if I have a sore throat or if it is raining or if both conditions come together to challenge my resolve.  I will still get out there to race.  So I might as well step out my front door on a rainy night when I am exhausted and have a sore throat.  I might as well experience what it feels like to run in those circumstances because I don't know what race day is going to be like.  I guarantee you that there will be some degree of suffering for me to overcome that day.  I don't believe I can run a marathon distance without feeling some of that hurt.  Whether it comes in the form of sheer exhaustion at mile 18, of questioning my own sanity at mile 22, of being in a negative mental space at mile 24, or in the form of standing at the starting line in the pouring rain, exhausted and with a sore throat.

With those thoughts in mind I stepped out into the pouring rain last night and had a glorious run.  I pictured the smiling faces of my friends and family cheering me on and supporting me.  I smiled as I ran with wet feet splashing through puddles, and rain dripping from the brim of my hat.  I ran listening to the sound of the rain on the pavement, the swish of my rain jacket as my arms pumped at my sides, and the sounds of crickets singing in their dry hiding places.  I ran, at first avoiding puddles, and then as my feet got wet anyway, straight through puddles water splashing around me.  I didn't even notice when it stopped raining but at some point it did.  I observed the world in the night dark glisten of wet pavement and rooftops.  I really hope I can share my joy of running with more of you.  I hope I can infect you with it, I hope it is catching.  :)  I love sharing my joy of fitness and the outdoors.  Send me an email and join me!