Train to Race/Run to Embrace

It's the one thing that is mine. My runs everyday are my thing. It's my therepy, my hour to myself. Nobody can really take it away from me... It's such a huge part of me. I love to say that I am a runner. ~ Summer Sanders

I love to run! I don't always love to train! This is honestly my favorite time of the year when it comes to running. My training is now almost four months behind me, I am in the height of my racing season so more often than not, my runs are more about me rather than for me.

When we are in training (which I am hoping most of you are in if you are planning on running a spring marathon) we stick to a mostly rigid schedule of tempo runs, intervals, long runs and hill work. We do this for months at a time and by the time the training ends we are for the most part ready. I will tell you now, that I go through the same stuggles, up's and down's that everyone goes through in training. We will all have great days and we will all have bad days in training.

Maybe that is why I love this time of year so much. I have no expectations placed on myself that I must run 7 Tempo miles followed by four 400 meter sets of striders or that I absolutely have to go out and hit that last 20 miler before race day. I can just go run 8 or 18 miles at whatever pace I want and not have a care in the world. Of course there are times, even now when I am not technically in training that I throw in a good hard "training" workout, but more often than not, this time of year I run for me rather than for a race.

I have come to realise over the past two and half years that there needs to be time for all of us to just go for a run without expectations. Too lace up your shoes, put on some comfortable clothes, leave the Ipod at home and just go. Listen to the sounds of the world that surround you rather than some song that you have heard 1000 times. Observe the hustle and bustle of the world as you pass it by and get yourself to the point of such relaxation that you can feel every heart beat and hear every breath. Embrace the time you get to spend with yourself and just go run!

Happy Running