Keeping me humble

Hello...I know it's been a while...but running has been kind of rough these past couple months. I swear the older I get, the more I hate Winter....don't get me wrong...it's pretty and all, but it really wrecks havoc on my running. Needless to say I have been doing a lot of running at our local sports complex's indoor track...not my favorite thing to do...after all going around in a circle is not very mentally stimulating, at least not for my ADD mind. It's those times when I put on a podcast on my iPod to kind of distract me from the fact that I'm really not going anywhere....insert long sigh here. Though we have had a little reprieve in the weather this week. Yesterday it got up to the low 50s and the sunny was shining. And you bet your sweet running shoes I got out there and enjoyed every minute of it! Today, however it was rainy so back to the KA track I went....which honestly was fine because I was doing intervals today and those are easier on a track anyway. Ended up doing 1200m with a 3 minute jog in between 6 times. Felt really good! 

You know...many times I have run the track at Kids America and have been humbled and reminded how lucky I am that I'm able to do what I do. Usually on Tuesday's the Hopewell group is there, which in itself is humbling to watch them walk around the track together. Right there is enough to make one feel lucky. But today Hopewell wasn't there, but there was an older gentleman with a cane that was walking the track...very slowly. Honestly, I pretty much finished my 6 lap interval by the time he lapped it once. I kept an eye on him. He did a few laps and then sat down for a little bit and started going around again. Made me really think about how lucky I am that I can run and how awesome it was that this man, who could very easily just tell himself it was too hard and just sit at home in a chair all day, but he was determined and didn't give up...he kept going, no matter how fast or slow he was moving....he just did it regardless. I so admire people like that, and I so hope that when I get to that age that I have the gumption to never give up and just keep going regardless as well. Like I say, whether it's a 6 minute mile or an 18 minute mile, a mile is still a mile....keep going!!

So I don't think I mentioned this yet but at the first of the year I signed up for Run The Edge's "Run 2,015 Miles in 2015" Challenge. I partnered with another young lady online and we are splitting the miles together. January's miles were actually pretty decent and I hit my goal. February not so much...I was short by about 15 miles because I was down for a solid week with that nasty flu that's been going around. It literally knocked me on my butt. That's what happens when you stop taking your vitamins and supplements....it was a definite reminder that I need to stay on those. Don't want to go through that again any time soon!!

So now that it's March, Half Marathon training is in full swing. Again I am running the Capital City Half Marathon the first Saturday in May. This will be my fourth half marathon. I'm excited to get back out there and run long...there is just something therapeutic about it...until you get to mile 11, then that's a totally different story...lol. I'm also signed up to do the Indian Mud Run again the end of June...and the hubby is doing it with me (gasp!!!), then in July I am running the Shawshank Hustle 4 Miler with my aunt. There are a couple of 5K/10K's that I do also during the summer, but no info yet on those...but then in September I am hopefully going to start fulfilling my running bucket list. I'm hoping if everything works out ok that I will be running the Great Smoky Mountain Half Marathon in September. My goal is to run in as many of the National State Parks as possible....so hopefully, God willing, this will be the first of hopefully many State Park runs. So excited!! Then to end the year I'm planning on running the Hot Chocolate 15K with family in November. A pretty exciting year indeed...and I'm looking forward to it!

So here's to hoping that Spring is officially right around the corner and that there will soon be many happy  miles run outside :)

Have a great month everyone!!