It was a hard 30 minutes. Creaky knees, creaky ankles. Labored breathing. I looked at my watch every 90 seconds. While slogging the final 3/4 mile uphill on Dorchester Street to the intersection at Broadway, I was convinced my lungs were going to give way.
(They didn't. A relief to my neighbors, I'm sure, to not have to endure a 911 ambulance call at that hour.)
Other than the frozen pseudo-mile of the Speedo run Saturday, I haven't run in 16 days, my longest break since a 2005 hand-surgery hiatus. Last night felt like I'd never run.
But it was good to seek the groove again. Many nights in the last month I've talked myself out of needing to do this, convincing myself I had drinks to drink or stair-climbers at the gym more weather-friendly or laundry to do. Just like anything, then, the longer you talk yourself out of getting back to a habit you want to get back to, the higher the hill to overcome.
It was a g-mail conversation on Saturday with the Young Scientist (a serious speedster if you remember) that gave me an opening:
YS: You been running a lot recently?That was the key: the 30 minutes a day. I can run 30 minutes a day.... can't I?
K: Eh. Not at all, actually. I'm not running cause I feel sluggish....and feeling sluggish since I'm not running. I just signed up for a 10K on NYD, though, hoping that will spur me. Yourself?
YS: Been running with the intention of training again starting on the new year.
K: Like you ... I need a fresh start...
YS: start now by doing 30 min per day, or so. after the race do the real training
I'm not going to keep a running (ha!) tabulation in this space to prove I can. Although I'll most likely publicly flog myself if I don't. Stay tuned.
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