The slow runner

Happy Monday, everyone.  Bah humbug, I say. Just in one of those moods I suppose.  And if you know me, you know they are pretty common. Was up and out the door for a short four miles around 8 this morning and it was a struggle.  Mind you, I threw down a decent 8 miles just two days beforehand. You would think that four would come easy, but it didn't.

My calves, I am happy to report, are doing better. Thank you, Dr Bills. My shins, however, are still barking. My legs cannot seem to get their shit together. If it isn't one thing, it is another. I didn't warm up or stretch at all this morning, just straight into the run, but that isn't unusual. I just couldn't get into a groove and soon enough my running partner was pulling away.

This is becoming more and more common on my runs and it does not make me feel good at all. I tried to tell myself that this was my run, at my pace, but it didn't help. I'm just out of shape and my running friends are not. What bothers me more is that when I wasn't the slow runner, I didn't leave my partner behind when we hit a trail together. I just didn't. It didn't seem right and there were always going to be other runs where I could push the pace. For me, half of running with someone is the company and conversation.

I understand that we are all training for something, I do. And I'll be the first one to admit that when I'm on the track, I'll take off. But to me those seem like different cases. Maybe I'm wrong. I suppose this is something that I need to get used to and my ego needs to take a back seat. Selfishly, I do miss being the faster partner. If I keep working on it, I might get back to where I was. In the meantime I need to get comfortable where I am, bringing up the rear.

Tomorrow is another day, and the chance for a better run. I'll be at the track at 6:15 tomorrow morning, jitters and all. The sooner I can string a few good runs together, the better.  Keep your fingers crossed for me!