Perhaps it’s the parental burden of having seen 101 Dalmatians and its various sequels, prequels, and in-between-quels or perhaps it’s the list of 101 things I’m trying to do in 1001 days or perhaps it’s an attraction to the pleasing symmetry of the number, but when I realized that the 1:41 on my watch could be converted to 101 minutes, I was tickled. Tickled to the point that I had to mark it in my journal.
I know that running long distances is hard. That’s what makes it so wheat-from-the-chaff, after all. But of all the things I’ve done as a runner, none has been so big a deal to my body as the transition to running 9 miles instead of 8. I’ve now done it twice (9.3 this time!) and both times my body didn’t just feel tired the way it feels after a long run, it felt drained at a cellular level. I could walk ev-er-so-slow-ly home for a cool down. I could not stand straight because my back muscles were so tired. And in the days after I can feel muscles building and organizing and having committee meetings in my thighs.
Both times I ran outside with Rainer on warm(ish) days, and both times the ground was slippery with a bit of snow or ice. I know that had a big role to play, as my muscles were constantly holding tight in a way they don’t on the treadmill. Still, I hadn’t expected such a huge change with the addition of a mile or so. I’ve run 8 miles at least a dozen times in the past 6 months.
Thank goodness I’ve started training for this with months and months to spare. I’ve got ’til September to add the next 4 miles, although I’d really like to run the half-marathon course here in town before we leave at the end of May. I’m nervous about signing up for the Budapest half-marathon. I know it’s silly, especially to Rainer who’s busy booking running races and triathlons all over the summer calendar. I just worry that booking it will jinx it. Or that it’s presumptuous somehow. Or that…um, I dunno, but there’s a sense that I’m not ready to officially commit.
Well, it’s time for Haiku Monday over at the Creative Mom Podcast’s Yahoo group. This morning I was still thinking of the weekend run, what with the aches and the drawing of the shoe in front of the light.
one hundred and one
countless hundreds of footsteps
tired, satisfied
I don’t know what it is about this new space, but you’re really blooming here! It seems like every single post is inspiring — even more so than at your old blog, which I didn’t think was possible. Go you!
Hypatia, thank you! I definitely sense a different voice for my writings here. I have a clearer sense of what I want for this space, and that is to focus on the positive and to connect with others. It’s about conveying the joy of living more purposefully. I’m glad you like it.
sign up—you’re right on schedule!