National Running Day 2012

It's hard to believe that I started my journey as a runner almost a year ago.  It all started as a family challenge that my mom presented to my sister and I.  "Can we run a half marathon together?"  Little did I realize that by accepting that challenge, I would find a love for running during the process.

Since yesterday was National Running Day, I wanted to reflect on some of the reasons why I love running:

1. Ellie gets to come with me:  I love spending as much time outside with my pup as possible.  Running allows us to spend even more quality time together.  Since Ellie loves to run, she sees running with me as a treat so it's a good time for everyone involved.
2. I get to enjoy beautiful scenery:  I don't think I ever realized how beautiful Columbus and it's surrounding suburbs are until I started running.  Now, I get to enjoy the city, parks, and my own neighborhood every time I head out for a run.  I also love exploring new places to run so I'm constantly finding new routes.
3. Running is relaxing:  Hitting the pavement at the end of the day really helps me clear my mind and destress.  Whether it's a quick run to get out some frustration or a long run to really allow me time to think, running has been my outlet.
4. Running keeps me active:  I've always been a very active person and love team sports.  However, the past few years have been far too busy for me to commit to a team and specific schedule.  Running allows me to continue being active and I can fit it in where my schedule allows.
5. I love a challenge:  Running has sparked my competitive spirit.  I may not be running to be the fastest person in a race, but I'm still competing with myself.  With running, there are always new goals that I can set for myself and new races to conquer.

These are all things that drive my desire to run.

Did you celebrate National Running Day with a run?  What do you love about running?

Heather

Let's Talk Safety

I have always felt safe on my running routes.  I live in a nice town, run during the day, and stay on well-traveled sidewalks/trails.  If I do run when it's dark, I always have a running buddy or Ellie with me and only run in areas that are familiar and well-lit.  I also think it's important to run with only one earbud in.  This way I can listen to my music while still being aware of my surroundings.  I, for one, never let my guard down so I'm always paying attention to anything out of the ordinary.

I recently noticed a man parked in the guest lot at our condo complex.  I noticed him last week as I left for and returned home from an evening run and again yesterday morning.  He just sits in his car which I find highly unsettling.  Regardless of what he was doing, his presence served as a wake-up call.  While I know calling the police is the first step in ensuring our safety here, the second step is reminding all of you to be careful out there.

I think that I will be adding mace to my running belt.  What do you do to keep safe?

Heather

Hello Training Schedule

I know I was supposed to start my new training schedule today. However, the weather forecast was looking super crappy so I went for a run last night instead.  A storm was slowly rolling in so it started to get dark a little earlier than usual last night.  I quickly put on my new 'Race Ya' tank and headed out the door with Ellie.  Luckily, the first run on my training schedule called for a quick 1.5 mile run so that we could make it home before the storm.

We ran down a few neighborhood streets since it was such a short run.  I don't normally run the neighborhood streets because Ellie gets distracted too easily by all the people and dogs that are usually out.  Surprisingly, we only passed one person.  Of course it was a neighbor that I know so I gave a quick wave and was on my way.  Then I felt a sharp tug.  Apparently, Ellie didn't get the memo that we were just giving a passing hello to our friend and her dogs.  Although Ellie is pretty good with the 'leave it' command, she seemed to lack self-control when she saw her friends.  After two attempts and my stern voice, she finally gave up and decided to continue on the run.  Am I the only one with this problem?

The rest of the run was pretty uneventful: just how I like it.  Once we arrived home, I had a slight pain in my left knee so I iced it.  I've never had knee pain so I will have to keep an eye on it.  My knee felt fine this morning so I'm hoping that it was just a little soreness from taking such a long break.

I also have found that I might need an armband to hold my cell phone.  I found this awesome giveaway on Karen's blog so hopefully I win.  You can enter too, just head on over to her blog.

Heather