Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head

I have completed only one run since Saturday, which was not my plan. I took Sunday off because that was my travel day home from NC, but I intended to run yesterday. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on the way one looks at it. :-), I did not get to my Monday run. I would like to share with my readers that it was not due to a lack of planning. Let me catch you up….

Monday January 28
My husband planned to go to work later than usual on Monday morning and so I decided that it would give me a perfect opportunity to get my run in early in the day. I have found that running outside and in the morning prove to be the most fruitful runs.

I set my alarm clock for 6:30am and planned to be out on the pavement by 6:45am. I do not really need 15 minutes to get ready to run, but there is the snooze button factor that I must account for of course! However, the next time my eyes opened it was not due to the beep of the alarm. No, instead my ears alerted me to the cries of a sweet one-year old in the next room. When my eyes popped open, the clock read 5:45am. That is a far cry (pun intended) from the 7:00am or 7:15am when I normally first hear her call for me.

I thought for a minute and decided that maybe, just maybe she would “play” and “talk” for a while and then go back to sleep. I soon realized that she was not going to take my ESP suggestion and I would have to get up with her. How did my sweet little girl get off her normal routine you may be wondering? It is not a mystery to me. Due to our travels this month, she has stayed with my parents while we were in Florida, back home with us, and then right to North Carolina the next weekend. Three different cribs in three different places in three weeks and I think any one-year old would protest! Do not worry though, this morning she seems was back to her old routine---thank goodness!

It was not long before my oldest daughter was also up due to the unusual commotion so early in the morning. David would have been up as well and perhaps I could have completed that run even earlier than planned, but I told him to get some rest since he planned to work late that night. (Besides, it was still dark outside—I do not want to run in the light much less in the dark!) Therefore, there I was a great plan to run foiled. It seemed as though it was going to rain on my parade today. Oh well, you cannot say that I did not try. Now, on to the rains of today…

Tuesday January 29
This morning started off according to plan. I was up and at ‘em at 6:55am. (David did not have to be at work early due to the night flight of last night.) So, that allowed me to again plan to run in the morning. I was off to the races by 7:10am.

I was running along my established route and I noticed that the cold really does not seem to bother me anymore. In fact, and this was incredibly shocking to me, but did you know that one can sweat when it is freezing outside? I most certainly did not know that this was possible. I have found over the course of the past month that no matter how cold it is outside I feel incredibly warm while I am running. The same held true this morning, until….

I was trudging along at my usual (slow) pace when I noticed my hands were wet and very cold. I really was not sure what it was at first and then I felt it on my face and my running jacket. RAIN! Yes that is right, today I ran in the rain. Okay, so it was more like a drizzle than showers of rain, but it was wet and cold and I was not prepared for it. Why did I continue to run? Well, I decided that over the course of the next 9 months of training that this would most likely not be my last run in the rain. I picked up my pace (by like 5 seconds) and continued on my route.

I was cold and damp when I got back home, but I did get my run in today. I am learning that marathon training like life will throw you an obstacle and one must find a way around that obstacle when possible in order to reach the goal.

I did not get in the entire 3 miles today, just 2.5miles. You know what, a month ago, I would have been impressed with 2.5, but today I actually felt like I should have finished the entire route even if it was raining. So, I leave you dear readers with a song that was not on my ipod, but nonetheless was running through my head this morning.

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head
But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turnin' red
Cryin's not for me
'Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complainin'
Because I'm free
Nothin's worryin' me
There's one thing I know
The blues they send to meet me won't defeat me
It won't be long till happiness steps up to greet me
---B.J. Thomas

Quote for Week 4: Just do it.

-Nike Slogan