Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Running is Like a Box of Chocolates

Do you ever feel like Forest Gump when you go out for a run?  I recently felt like that scene in the movie when he took off running and just kept going and going.  Twelve days ago I ran an invigorating 8.1 miles.  The following night I ran 7.0 miles.  Wow!  At the end of each run, I felt like I could have kept going.  If it wasn’t for the worry that I would aggravate an old knee injury,   I may have pushed it to 10 miles.

Running without a watch and without music gives my body a chance to get into a natural rhythm without any external influences.  After about 6 miles, I still felt fresh and wasn’t the least bit winded.  With my legs feeling strong, I just listened to my body and enjoyed myself.

Another thing that helps me is varying routes that I run.  I have no pressure to complete a certain mileage.  I extend it, if I feel up to it.  How do I that?  With the help of Google maps, I have discovered how to connect different running routes with each other.  I can add or subtract miles safely without putting myself in a situation of being too far away from home and needing to stop.  By developing these interconnecting loops, my runs can range anywhere from 3.0 miles to 7.0 miles or more, depending on how I am feeling in the moment.  It is so refreshing to go out for a run, not knowing exactly where my feet will take me!

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