I am an iPod runner. I like to put my music on and run in my own little world for miles, and not have to think about other people or talk to them. It's not that I'm antisocial... it's just that I prefer to work out all my issues while I'm running, and music helps me. I'm not even ashamed to admit that old-school Britney and Christina actually help me with those crazy hills. I have become firmly convinced that an early-morning run to twangy country or the soundtrack of "Rent" while the sun burns off the nighttime haze from the city might just move almost anyone to tears.
Saturday morning was my longest run yet-- 11 miles. I showed up with the early crew to do a 3-mile loop before we joined the rest of the training group for 8 miles. I was all geared up and ready to go ... until I realized that my iPod hadn't charged overnight. I seriously almost got up from stretching and went home. There was NO WAY I could run for over 2 hours, for my first double-digit run yet, without my beats. No way.
As I was cursing at the little screen that just would not turn on (the fact that it was 7 a.m. and I'd been up since 5:30 on a Saturday did not help my mood), my coach goes, "Give it a try without music. It's all mental, anyway."
And so, I did. I ran for 11 miles, 2 hours and 27 minutes, with no distractions. With just me and my thoughts and my breathing. And I LOVED it. I didn't realize that when I had my earbuds in, I was tuning everything else out. When the rain started; when it started pouring, we all started laughing, and laughing hard, and then everyone started cheering. All 100 or so of us running in the pouring rain, knowing that the drivers passing us probably thought we were lunatics (and they may have been right), and not caring.
I made it those 11 miles on my own, without the crutch of my music, but with the support of the team. I'm feeling particularly brave today, with those double-digits under my belt, and so at the risk of humiliating myself with my slow times, I have decided to link to the run on my Garmin page. You can see my route here, and along with it, all the details of the run... including the crazy hills (which helps explain the time... running friends, please be kind... I am a slowpoke but at least I'm surviving!).
After my run yesterday, I had the first of my bridal showers and then my bachelorette party afterward in Downtown Cincinnati. I learned that if you hydrate for five days solid in advance, and drink enough Gatorade to recover quickly, you really can go out hard after a run. But more importantly, what I had learned that morning at running group was only emphasized that night.
Throughout my life, I've never done well in groups. My dad used to warn teachers that I don't "play well with other children," and he was only half-kidding. I tend to like to do things my way, and I don't let people get too close for a variety of reasons. Anything that happens in life I have become fairly accustomed to dealing with it and coping with it on my own, in my own way, until the past couple of years.
Saturday night, I realized just how blessed I am to have such great family and friends. My family has been amazing through the wedding process, helping to plan everything, and showing up to almost every single thing I ask, without complaining and usually with wine in tow. My friends... I can't even begin to describe how amazing they've been, too. Last night I quite literally was handing them my phone when people would call for details of the party, because I get overwhelmed really easily and sometimes get really flustered. My girls put together a great night and I realized just how well they know me and how lucky I am to have such good friends.
In short, I have learned that if I get too busy trying to stay in my own little world, I'll miss all the action-- I'll miss everyone start to cheer, and I might even miss some of the best support life has to offer.
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