I Don't Feel Like Coming Down...

Finally… I’m finally getting back into stride as I was with my training last February. I may be a little impatient for I know what my body is capable of, and not being right back where I was, is to say the least, frustrating. I wanted to immediately be back at my racing pace, and have an excellent run; every run.  But through my training and past races over the years, I've learned one key element… you will have bad days of running, your pace will be slower, your body won’t be feeling good, and you just have to accept it.  

While I may accept it… I can still be frustrated by it.

I just finished my 11^th time going to November Project this morning, and the “feeling” from it has not faded at all.  

The energy of this group amazes me every time I show up. 

It’s 5:30am or 6:30am and everyone is smiling and ready to kick our own asses. And when we finish the workout, you can’t find anyone without a smile and a high five waiting for you. Your fitness level doesn't matter… you showed up. You got your butt out of bed, and you showed up.

I’m finally starting to recognize some faces and have slowly been trying to get more people involved. Even through my friend Paige, just email introducing me to a friend, Allie, of hers who was interested, I now have another familiar face at every workout. I also have gotten my friend Kathryn on board, and it’s so much fun to bring people from other parts of my world, into that of the November Project. [although Matt will always be my main accountability partner.. sorry Matt you're stuck haha] 

I don’t even question or worry anymore if they’ll like it. Because I already know the answer… they will. 

[even cooler is that Kathryn and Matt are running the same half-marathon coming up, so I can rock some sweet signs to cheer them on J]

November Project this past week had a couple theme days, which only added to the community of it all. You don’t even question dressing the part, you just know that every other person will be in full gear from head to toe to play the role. 

I use to hate when there would be a theme for something, and only a couple people would dress up… not with this group… not with this tribe… 

It’s the opposite, you’re looked at differently if you don’t participate!

We had TennisDeck for our Destination Monday, due to the location being on a tennis court, where we went all out with burpees/pushups/V-Ups/Mountain Climbers…

The Ladies decked out in Tennis Gear [Steph, me, Allie]

Accountability [Matt and myself]

And Wednesday we all paid tribute to another city’s tribe leaders father who passed away suddenly... so we rocked purple and sweet moustaches… or in Matt’s case… a creep’stache J

[Allie, Matt, myself, and Kathryn]

The feeling of getting in some long runs recently has been awesome. I was able to do a slow and steady 8 miler last Sunday morning, and it couldn't have started the day out any better. 

The weather was near perfect and it was just me and the other runners gracing the city at 8am on a Sunday. 

There’s a quiet sense of community in those early morning moments… as if we all share something, even if only that one thing being running early on a Sunday morning, while the rest of the world is recovering from the night before.

So last night… looking at my 100 mile challenge with Matt on the T ride home, and seeing myself a good 12 miles behind him… I decided I needed to go for a really good, longer, run. 

I got home, changed into a comfortable running outfit and set off into the city. 

Once clear of the Massachusetts Avenue scene near the hospitals, I was able to really get in the mindset of this run. 

I decided to go along the same route as my prior 8 miles, but I would just go a mile further.

Let me tell you… running over the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge, with a soft breeze and a city all lit up… It’s almost breathtaking.  

Looking over at Harvard Stadium at my halfway point

As the mileage kept adding up, my pace felt steadier and steadier… at least for the first 7 miles [I did start to feel it a little after that]. 

I wasn’t having to walk as much, and I was lucking out with the shuffle for my music. 

Eminem “I’m not Afraid” came on twice, and something about that song really pushes me to run. 

A couple lyrics in particular always stand out to me:

“When I say I'ma do something I do it… I don't give a d*** what you think… I'm doing this for me”

“Cause I'm raising the bar….. I'd shoot for the moon but I'm too busy gazing at stars…. I feel amazing”

Running has always been “my thing” since I started to really get into it back in late 2008 early 2009, so it’s important to me to never lose that drive with it… which is probably why I sign up for so many 5ks, 10ks, and now half marathons [and one full marathon ;) ]

I feel accomplished in something every time I finish a run, whether in a race format or not. 

It’s one of the few aspects in life that I have complete control over, so I seek that reward, and know I’m the only one that can give that to myself.

So when I arrived home last night, drenched in sweat, body aching a little… 

I felt accomplished. 

I just finished 10 miles. Although I’m not up to the marathon training mileage yet… I’m slowly getting back to that point. The cross training of November Project is starting to show its benefits, and I’m excited to continue down this path.

Because right now, I’m on a natural high… and I don’t feel like coming down.