Feeling…Good?

Today was an exciting day for me. I woke up and, knowing that my training schedule put me at 4 miles, checked the weather. The northeast has been pretty cruel to me, with sub-zero temperatures and icy paths, forcing me onto a treadmill for the first month of my training.

I was absolutely done rushing to the gym after work to beat traffic, and being stuck on a treadmill. I wanted to be outside, running at a pace that felt good, and out in the fresh air.

So, I looked at the weather and saw over-freezing (which I forgot is 32 degrees and NOT 0) temperatures, with no small symbols for snow, rain, or any other crazy weather. Combine that with the recent time change and a 6:55pm sunset time…it looks like I’m going to have a great run outside! I was actually excited to get out there for the first time since I started training this time around.

I was flustered leaving work, but was still excited as I drove to the park, my favorite running spot and location of my wedding to creepy-guy-Dave. It was windy, but I started running.

A lot of runners will say that they enjoy running because it lets them think and have personal time. I was never one of those people. My mind moves as fast as my legs. I make lists, occasionally do mental math, sing in my head, and mostly have conversations with myself to get myself to the end. This run was so much different.

Maybe it was the music I was listening to, lyric-less rhythms, or the dim haze I ran through, but I felt empty my entire run. Not a bad empty, something like the empty you try to achieve when you’re meditating in yoga. I don’t know how I got to that place, but I really liked it.

I liked it so much, that I didn’t notice how much pain I had put myself in. Once I hit four miles, I started cooling down, and my shins, calfs, and ankles were incredibly sore. The bad kind of sore. Not the “feel the burn” sore.

So, of course, I’m injured again. I spent the night with ice on and under my legs on the couch, but I’m feeling a little (read: very) nervous about it. Crossing my fingers that it gets better soon! A little over a month away from the big day, and I was just starting to feel good about running…even though I knew that this would happen…it always does!