Post Couch to 5K

Can I just say that I love trail running? I did my first trail run during W9 of Couch to 5K. I fell in love immediately with the trails. I don't think about the time and I feel less stress when I run. What I mean is that my run feels easier. I love running past the butterfly garden as the sun bathes them in a soft glow through the trees. I love running over the bridge and seeing all the baby crabs crawling below. I love running past the skate park and watch the kids do their dare devil tricks, or saying hello to fellow dog lovers that have normal dogs that can run with them. (Note to self: need to train one of my dogs to be normal enough to go out in public.) All of these small distractions make my run easier. It is so stimulating that I forget about the minutes on my Polar F6. All I do is enjoy the run.

So when I ran on the treadmill earlier this week, I struggled with each minute. In front of my was my fake tree and to the right was the big screen and to the left was the view of my backyard. It was boring. No new smells to discover or a breeze to feel grateful for blowing, just nothing. So it was a short run but I did it. But I made sure my next run was outside.

So on Saturday I woke up late and the heat had already made itself at home in my little town, so I had to wait to the evening. It was a great run. I couldn't wait to get out there. I loved taking a deep breath of the sea air or hearing the birds chirp, seeing the squirrels and just saying hello to cooler weather. By cooler I mean, it is not in the 90s. Since I have finished C25K , I am starting to work on my pace. So I tried to go just a bit faster. It was a dance really. I would get a quicker turn over on my feet, I would hit the center button on my Nano to hear my current pace, look down on my Polar F6 to check my heart rate and make adjustments. I did this several times for the first 25 minutes. Then in minute 26 I just ran. I ran until I couldn't run anymore. And when I couldn't run anymore, I stopped my Nano and there she was, Joan Benoit Samuelson. She was congratulating me on my new PR. 16:46 pace. I love running.