Another race...

I think I'm addicted to races. Every time I finish a race, I think about the next one I want to do. But then I complain about having to train during the months leading up to the race. However, I've never regretted doing a race...just regretted committing to the race a few times before the event. Regret isn't the right word but you know what I mean...

I think a lot of people have this "problem." I love the races because I like having a goal in mind and having to work hard to achieve it. I also like having a challenge and being able to overcome that challenge. However, sometimes I resent running because I feel like I "have" to do it. Don't get me wrong, I loooove running. I love how strong I feel, I love when my mind wanders and I forget how long I've been out there, I love the feeling of accomplishing a great workout, and I love the muscle soreness you can only get from running. However, when I have to go run 8 miles when I only feel like running 3, it kind of takes the pleasure away from the run. But, I must admit, it is a fantastic feeling getting more miles in than you felt like doing.

Maybe I worry that if I don't have a race to train for, I won't run as much and I will lose my running mojo, which is what happened a few years ago when the shit hit the fan for me physically. Maybe I need the races to keep me in check and remind me how much I love the sport. I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I consider myself a "good" runner. I don't know what that means exactly, but once I got back in to the groove of running, it's like I never stopped. My body just knows how to run. Other people say they just aren't runners. Well, I just am a runner and I never want to forget that again.


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All of this explains why I just registered for my next race: Michael Scott's Dunder Mifflin Scranton Meredith Palmer Memorial Celebrity Rabies Awareness Pro-Am Fun Run Race for the Cure Columbus Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day. I ran it last year when I was in horrible shape. I hardly trained for it but I still ran the whole thing and I felt awesome accomplishing that goal. I want to run it again this year and see how fast I can do it. It's 5 miles, which is the distance I already run three-four times a week anyway, and if I can work on speed from now until Thanksgiving, I should be able to get it done in enough time to win a pumpkin pie! The first 1,000 male finishers and the first 1,000 female finishers get pumpkin pies and last year I (obviously) didn't make the cut. I'm interested to see how much faster I can run it this year, although I don't remember last year's time and I didn't have a timing chip so I can't go back and look for it. Either way, it's a nice, small goal I have set for myself, to keep running as part of my workouts but not so much that I resent having to go out and run a long distance. Can't wait to eat mah pie!



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