weekly Check In

[ell]

Happy Monday all!

How was your training last week? Any good race reports for us? What are your plans for the next week?

Here's a quote for you:

The beauty of running is its simplicity; the beauty of runners is that we all have a similar drive to improve. We are either trying to run a personal best, or toeing the line for the first time, which will snowball into a future of trying to run personal bests. We road racers are a tight community of mileage-happy, limit-pushing athletes.

Deena Kastor, long-distance runner who holds American records in the marathon, half-marathon, and numerous road distances

Do you agree with her?

Comments

[linaelyn]

Last week I ran every day but Sunday. I didn't run fast and I only managed 2 or 3 miles each day, but I am counting it as a massive win, because I kept going out there, despite feeling really horrible. I was having terrible menstrual cramping all week (only 24 days until my hysterectomy, HUZZAH!) and threw up from the pain during my runs on Thursday and Saturday. But I kept running.

Last week, I didn't have any "drive to improve." I didn't care that I wasn't getting any greater mileage or faster times. I did have a drive to push my limits, though. Facing down that kind of pain and exercising anyway was something I felt I needed to do, to prove that I will not be held back by anything as trivial as physical pain. Actual injury, sure. But this was pain without purpose - cramping pain caused by torsioned fibroid tumors in an organ I do not need.

I am a runner. Nothing can stop me.