like a gazelle

Second run of the third week of base training, and I finally feel like I'm in shape again. I felt that coveted "runner's high" for the first time in a while, as I kept my head up and focused throughout the 4 miles. None of those, "uggh this is awful when is going to stop" thoughts that have been running through my head for the last two weeks. I'm sure those thoughts will be back, though. It was nice to be reminded that running is actually enjoyable!

Before the run, I really wasn't feeling it. I've been running 5 days a week, taking off Tuesday and Friday (always subject to change depending on the weather). The last two days, Saturday and Sunday, were rough. It was absurdly cold. The high on Sunday was 6 ºF, with a low of -8. This morning, when I woke up and checked the temperature, wunderground reported -5. Ack!

Also worth noting is my yesterday was filled with a debilitating migraine. All I could do, for hours, was lie down with a blanket over my eyes. While I'm certainly no doctor and may spend too much time self-diagnosing, I think dehydration may have triggered my first migraine in years. Saturday night, I went out and had a few drinks - first time since NYE, actually. I did not properly rehydrate before passing out (not that I drank all that much). The next day, I don't recall drinking much water, nor consuming more than a sip before jumping in the shower post-run. Before I knew it, scintillating scotoma took over my vision, so I downed a bunch of water and took some excederin, but it was too late. My afternoon was ruined.

So, fully recovered today, I wanted to stay that way and was in no mood to run. But I did anyway, of course. I remember an interview with a competitive marathon runner that I read a while back, where the interviewer asked the runner at the starting line how he was feeling. His response was simple: it doesn't matter. It might come off as cold and callous, but I find it somehow calming and zen-like. It's true. It doesn't matter how I'm feeling before a run, not emotionally anyway. Obviously physical problems are a different story, but when I'm running, but those silly thoughts and emotions are a different story. I'm going to run anyway. I might be cranky, scared, tired, enthusiastic, optimistic - it's irrelevant. Just run.

I wish I could find the interview. I think it was in Runner's World like 2 years ago.

Today, I just ran. I lost myself in the moment, and it felt great. The temperature increased to a balmy 15 ºF, and I did feel the difference. I felt like I could use that energy normally devoted to shivering to, you know, running. I can tell that running in this frigid air is going to pay off come spring time.

And, I had my best time yet for the 4-mile run: 37:30. Still, at 9:20/mile, I'm not quite at my 8:00/mile goal, but I'm getting there, slowly but surely.