So much for no upcoming races

I just registered for the Oktoberfest 10k in Highland on October 17th. It's the first year for the race and it sounds pretty good (flat course and a raffle at the end- they're even giving away 2 pairs of Mizuno's in the prizes, nice!).
I don't have a lot of time to work on my speed, so I know I'm not gonna break my sub 8-minute pace I got in that 10 miler by any means, but I do hope I get under a 9-minute mile.
It will be fun to run a mid-distance race before the running season ends.
So... so much for running for the sake of running, I've got another race to get ready for! Fun times.

The little things

Today I didn't feel like running.
I'll admit it, not one ounce of me felt like putting on my running gear, loading up my jogging stroller into the van before preschool, and hitting the pavement.
But I did it anyway.
Just go through the motions, I thought. Just get it done.
The first five minutes of my run consisted of me debating if I should continue my pathetic pace or just forget about it and take a walk. Walk? I couldn't do it. Not when I set out to run. I am a runner, I thought, not a walker.
So one step after another, I was running and before I knew it I was in my rhythm and enjoying it.
How many days has that happened?
How many days like this have to pass for me to realize that I will never regret pushing through laziness and accomplishing a run that day, no matter how short or slow?
I ran for 30 minutes today.
My pace was less than commendable.
The numbers are nothing.
But the tenacity it takes on days like this to stick with your goals is something. Days like this lead to marathons.
It may seem silly, but today more than ever I felt like a runner. I didn't run because I ate a big burrito before bed and needed to burn calories. I didn't run because I have an upcoming race. I ran because I run. That's what I do, and today especially, I'm glad I did it.

Refreshed

It has been over a month since I last posted. In my last post, I had just completed the marathon and couldn't wait to race again. Then I realized I really should take a rest and let that shin fully heal. Well when nearly a month had passed and I had only run 3 or 4 times, I realized rest had been replaced with laziness.
THEN after reading Becca's (I could just say "your" since I think you're the only one who really reads this Becca) post about running with the jogging stroller while Teya was in preschool, I knew that could work for me too- I had a plan and I had hope for regular running again, even with our new hectic schedule of Justin working late hours all the time and me working, too.
So I bought this jogging stroller used on the classifieds for $30:

It's actually a REALLY nice jogging stroller (Dreamer Design- they run about $300 new) and it's in great shape so I totally scored. It is really tall so it makes it easier to push and it's got great shocks on it.
So this week I ran while Kenz was in preschool and did a nice-n-easy 8 miler this morning. I'm doing about 9 minute miles currently and it feels good- not a real competitive pace, but it feels good to just run the pace I feel like running and not necessarily be training for anything. It feels so great to be back in the swing of things, my body is happy again.