The Joys of Running

Is it possible to feel poorly after a run? I don't mean that in terms of physical exertion and pain, but rather the mental aspect of one's life. Every time I finish a run, I'm imbued with the "runner's high" (yes, I understand the actual reasons behind this phenomena) and feel great for the next few hours, if not longer. That's one of the reasons I enjoy running in the morning, it provides a great start to the day. You may not want to get up earlier than normal to run, but afterward, you'll be glad you did.

Did 6 miles of running/scouting yesterday, discovered another great Greenway in Charlotte, and felt fantastic after. What made it even better was that my body also felt great, despite having just done a 10K. The route wasn't as technical as the USNWC Trail Run Challenge, at least, I thought it wasn't (my Garmin tells me there were more elevation changes this time), but I still felt like I could have done more mileage if needed. It's good to see some results from my increased training and mileage, and it makes me want to participate in a 1/2 Marathon on September 19, mainly because it climbs to the top of a nearby mountain, only 900', but still fun. Only slightly more than 2 weeks before the event, is this enough time to get ready? I know I shouldn't, especially since I have no money, but it's really really tempting!

Mileage vs. Time?

Saw an article about Kara Goucher, an American marathoner, and how Americans are too focused on how far and how fast we run, rather than just seeing what we can do. I'd love to reach that level, but ironically I need more structured training before I can get there. Although I've got my Garmin with me during most runs, I'm rarely paying attention to it, other than timing my walk breaks, and occasionally seeing how far we've gone. The rest of the time, I'm enjoying the run, and trying not to bust my ass, since most of the time, I'm on the trails. I'll bring the Garmin when we're hashing, too, mainly because I like to let the slower members know how far they went.
The main reason I like trail running so much is because it makes it easier to turn my brain off and just run. You can spend more time just enjoying the scenery, and trying to not step on bunnies or get run over by deer, and less time worrying about your pace or inhaling car fumes. That's a great aspect of Charlotte, all of the non-road running you can do. Other than the Whitewater Center, we've got endless Greenways, like the one by Stephanie's house. Also, obviously, when a pretty girl asks you to go run, it's kinda hard to say "no".

Success!

Completed my first 10K since 2006, in 68:30. I did 57:10 at Cooper River way back when, but I was in better shape and it's an easier course. This run was at the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, which has a great series of trails to run or bike on. I'm curious to see what the leaders ran, in both the 5K and 10K, because they certainly looked quick, and I'm interested in how the elevation changes/tight course affected them. They said that they 10K would be more of a trail run than the 5K, which I can believe, as it was a gnarly course. Held back somewhat, because I had a trail to run that afternoon, and also I didn't want to overexert myself early in my training. Odd moment came when we were around 4 miles in (had my Garmin to pace myself). The course was a little on the poorly marked side, as this was their first year, so apparently some of the leaders got a little lost, as I suddenly was being passed by guys who obviously had no business being behind me. Saw that some guys did nearly 2 miles extra, not sure where they got lost, but that can't be any fun. I knew the general layout from our weekly runs there, so at a few questionable points I was able to direct myself and others on the correct route. This morning I felt great, which is fantastic after the nearly 10 miles I did.

Glad to feel back in the chase

Thoughts on the R word

It's kinda weird to be getting back into being a serious runner again. When I lived in Myrtle Beach, in 2005-6, I ran at least 3 times per week, Tuesday, Thursday (track workouts) and Saturday (long run), in addition to any hashes I happened to do, and some golf course runs on other days. In Georgia, all I could manage was the Wednesday hash, if I was lucky. And now, in Charlotte, I'm finally back to running 3-4 days per week, and entering some races. The dreaded R's. Luckily, I've kept it contained to 5K's, so far, and I've only done a few, but I'm scheduled to do a 10K tomorrow morning (assuming it doesn't rain too much tonight (actual trail race)), and to me, that's the line in the sand when you become a more than casual runner, in the view of the hash. 5Ks are so plentiful these days, while you have to really try for a longer distance (both in terms of searching and training). I know I'll never be the fastest runner, and quite frankly, I don't really want to be. I'd rather do the long runs, at a more consistent tempo, than work on a 15:00 5K. I'm following a hasher's blog in Colorado, and he's doing the Leadville 100 Miler tomorrow morning. 100 miles. Aiming to do it in under 25, I think. My big brother did a 50K earlier this year. As the sign says, "Any idiot can run a Marathon, it takes a special kind of idiot to run an Ultra." That's my goal, to keep building up my mileage and get into the longer races. And tomorrow morning will be the start back to that.

Of course, if I'm up at 5 am and it is cancelled, I'll go help Stephanie with her yardsale.