“Leg”endary discoveries

It’s amazing what the legs can do in spite of an uncooperative head.

When I woke up this morning I knew that if I took my pillow downstairs to the couch, it would be a big mistake, huge mistake, but the little devil on my shoulder reasoned with me. It’s still too early to go for a run, she said, just a few moments relaxing on the couch surely won’t hurt. I succumbed … and I stayed on that damn couch until 10:45 a.m. – 45 minutes after Mario had left for road hockey and 45 minutes after I had first intended on going for a run. And when I finally pulled my sleepy head off the couch, it took another hour before I mustered up enough energy to get my butt out the door.

And I was still struggling, that first kilometre nearly killed me. I was tired, my stomach felt off, my shoes were slapping the pavement, and by golly I was already kicking my damn ankles. I was close to turning back. I mean if this is how the next 8 km were going to be, I wanted nothing to do with it. But my legs bartered with my head: just make it to the bridge and see how you feel, that’s just 2 km, you can do it no problem. And so, I kept going, and when I hit the bridge, I continued, and by the time I hit Queensborough, I was feeling pretty alright. So there you go, stubborness does pay off some days 😉

TODAY’S RUN:

• 11:30 a.m. BG before: 5.7 (granola bar)
  
• Temp basal: -50 per cent
• Warmup: 1/2 km
• Distance: 10.02 km
• Average pace: 6:25 min/km
  
• Time: 1:04:23
  
• Cool down: 1/2 km
• 1 p.m. BG after: 5.9

I had intended on running 8 km when I set out for the run, but running in Queensborough is, for lack of a better word, a bitch. The roads and sidewalks seriously look like a massive air raid struck them, huge pot holes, not even pot holes really, more like UFO-sized sink holes all throughout them. So when I spotted a trail at about 3.5 km in, I veered off. I should have only kept going for 1/2 a kilometre, but the beauty of that trail, along the waterfront directly across from my waterfront kept me going and before I knew it, I was already 5 km in!

Guess I know I can still run 10 km, which is a good thing given that marathon training starts next month. Eek!

LESSONS LEARNED TODAY:

1. Don’t give up on a run right away, even if you’re feeling like crud, because it could just be a little devil messing with your head.
2. Don’t overdress, no matter how cold you think it is outside (I knew this already, but that devil convinced me otherwise) because there’s almost nothing worse than overheating on a run – which I very much did today.
3. Don’t always stick to the familiar path, because sometimes going off the beaten track can bring you brilliant treasures.

Are you ready for Christmas? Just 6 days to go! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!