My 6-month run challenge: a retrospective.

So, my 6-month run challenge came (quietly) to an end last week and I have been racking my brains on how I wanted to recap my journey. As I look through post after post of the last 6 months of running, I see a few common themes:  consistency, run-volutions and…as much as I hate to admit it, the frustrating head case that I *still* am from time to time whenever I run.

I do, however, think the biggest progress for me in this journey has been this: being at peace with running happy miles and not *for* mileage. Yeah, there are days that I wish I had the endurance and distance in me that I once did. Sure, my mind meanders to ‘what-if’ I try again (to work towards another half marathon). But at the end of the day, I really really still have a big issue with running a mental run. Even though I have improved substantially in not panicking, steadying my breathing and focusing on…less focus when I run, it still happens. It still rises up in me in certain instances (heat, and conversely, cold!), up hills, on longer runs, etc. And until I really beat that, I honestly think that running another half marathon will end up in the same result – frustrating, panicked and running a race I am not proud of.  Not that a half marathon is even my goal or end-all-be-all. Because it’s not. We all know racing is not for me. But it still is something I want to do. There, I said it. It is. I won’t deny it. But it’s not the main goal. The main goal remains…not to run a mental run.

So while I still have a problem with the mental (run) game, this challenge has done WONDERS for me, because I have finally gotten to a point where I embraced the dreadmill (in the winter), AND intervals (and rocked them several times), AND running outside IN the winter, AND sustaining some good mileage (5-7 mile range in the winter whereas previously, it would have been 3-4 – max). I am also finally at a point where I trust running to be my main cardio source (with a dash of spinning sometimes to mix it up), because not only do I truly LOVE it, it is ultimately the best workout for me and magic bullet with barre n9ne. 

This challenge…is not over. I am still a work in progress. But I am okay with that, because a physical challenge should always be just that: a challenge. It should never get ‘easy’ and it should also push me out of my comfort zone. Thus why I love to run. And thus why I *will* rock the mental game too.

Thank you for all of your support, friends, I have loved sharing this journey with you all, even if you aren’t a runner, because I truly think some of the messages and learnings here are universal. Now I think I will pick myself up and dust myself off and go for a kick ass run tomorrow, with M by my side. Pushing myself just a little bit farther.

 

Running happy miles…as my 6 month run challenge nears an end.

I have one week left of my 6 month run challenge and it couldn’t be more fitting for this fabulous Friday to share that I finally – finally – feel as though I ran *all* happy miles this week. Every. single. run. Awesome. Each in different ways. I’ve come to realize that this run challenge has come down to exactly that: happy running. notsomuch about miles. notsomuch about getting back to thinking about running another half marathon.

Nope.

Just. Running. Happy.

I’m writing this after one of my best runs in quite awhile. With M by my side. And this was even after teaching a 6 am barre n9ne class (back-to-back with teaching two classes yesterday, too).

See? Happy Miles Faces!

The difference? I told myself I would ‘do’ as little as possible in class (save for upper body and ab work) and it worked out so well because a) I had a bigger than usual morning class so there was naturally more opportunity to walk around and correct and b) I am learning more and more my stride for teaching smaller classes where I ‘do’ bits and pieces but focus more on form corrections and motivation.

So, while I taught 5 classes this week, I strategically planned my runs to either not follow directly after teaching or taking a barre n9ne class, or on an ‘off’ day completely from barre n9ne. And it worked. Finally. It worked.

Sunday, I ran with M (about 4 miles) before I taught at 10 am. Tuesday, I ran 6 killer miles of intervals. And rocked them. Wednesday, I took b9 fusion class in the morning and met bestie Steph for a quick and speedy 3.6 miler by a nearby lake. Humid. But awesome. And today, 5ish (5.4 maybe??) miles with M where my legs didn’t feel heavy, even though it was my last run of the week and I expected them to feel a little lead-like at first. Nope. Felt strong, yet light.

This week I ran happy miles. And as I look to next week, where I set out for Costa Mesa bright and early on Monday morning (coming home Thursday night), I am confident and even a little excited to finally get a chance to run outside before work a few days next week. It’s going to be awesome. (did I just say that?!)

Happy weekend, friends. do something happy, will ya? I sure as hell plan to do the same 🙂