Through rain, sleet, or snow...

NOT! Ha ha. This morning I drove to Chelsie's house to do our last long run before Pat's Run next week. It was raining hard when I left my house, but I figured it wouldn't be too bad at Chelsie's. I forgot to account for the freezing coldness of the rain! We set out of her house, determined to run our four miles, but before we had gone 50 yards decided it wasn't worth it. We didn't much feel like getting hypothermic and wet, so we ran to the end of her street and back. Which is probably about an eighth of a mile or so. Ha ha! We are such wimps! But really, it was freezing. So, we set to work in Chelsie's living room doing random strength training workouts in my Running for Mortals book. This turned out to be a decent workout, at least my sore legs tell me so!

Then, later in the morning, the rain stopped. This is what I was waiting for! I set out at around 1 to finish my goal of four miles. It was definitely challenging, since my legs were already tired from that morning, not to mention they were cold and stiff! There a zillion puddles that I had to dodge on the gravel trail, which meant that I got my shoes a little muddy and I also had to run on the grass for a little bit. All in all, it was a slow but meaningful run, and I did a lot of thinking too, which was nice. I came up with my own mantra, kinda like my personal motto. I realized that I haven't run with my iPod for awhile, because I noticed that I run slower and I don't focus on form, foot turnover, or anything when I listen to music. So, my new motto is:

I don't need an iPod to enjoy a run. The steady pounding of my feet is music enough.

Inspirational, eh? Well, at least it is to me! I love listening to my own footsteps and my own breathing as they create perfect rhythm with each other. It is kind of like a song. I love the feeling of empowerment when I realize that I am two miles from my home, and I managed to get there under my own willpower and by my own two feet. It is an awesome feeling when you realize the power that you have stored up inside you, just waiting to get out and propel you toward your goal.

Wow, I'm feeling pretty poetic!

I am so looking forward to Pat's Run next week! It's going to be such an experience, so much emotion and willpower and just all around love, all in one place. It's like you are surrounded by thousands of your closest friends. That's why I love these running events so much!