Hard Reset

I’ve been thinking about time lately. Both present and past.

I started this blog in 2013 after I had been running consistently since 2010. Ok, more like 2012. I loved the community I found both through this blog and other social media. I have made real friends that I would have never met otherwise. Hell, I flew to Vegas to run a race with someone I’d never met IRL and shared my hotel room with someone else who I’d only met at another race. If you all knew me, you would know how much a big deal that was- I’m a very comfort zone kind of person. I haven’t seen either of them in a year and that is sad.

Then as the years went on, I was running more…or less. I was blogging but I’d become set in a pattern. I used to blog whenever the mood struck at whatever time about whatever popped into my head on the run. I miss those days. But I got myself mired into following some of the things the big time bloggers did. Weekly recaps? Why not? But then I was shoving a whole week’s worth of running into one post. If I was my usually verbose self, that post would get damn long. So, I started editing. That’s stupid.

Then 2020 happened. I started the year by running my 40th half marathon. Then lockdown and a crazy world. I will be lucky if I clear 350 miles this year. I am legitimately starting over with running.

So instead of being pissed at how I wandered so far off the path I was on, I am treating it like a hard reset.

So, in that spirit, I took to the track on Sunday. It’s been years since I ran at the track and it used to be my happy place. Although I don’t think I will ever run a 10 miler on the track again, that was cuckoo.

So I put on new running shoes (which have been in my closet since February) and headed for the track to get back to basics. It was hot but that was not the reason I struggled. I really am that out of shape. I may have avoided the COVID 20 but I lost any muscle mass I had and all endurance between that and all the smoke the past few months. And while I didn’t gain any COVID weight, I also didn’t the lose the extra 40ish pounds from the previous 2 years. Ha!

So, yes, my 3 miles were hard. Even with the couch to 5k app I downloaded. What didn’t help was the blister that formed due to the new shoes either. I really am starting over! There was a lot of walking involved- due to both the heat and the blisters. I also tried out the Track Run feature on my Coros watch. I think it was a little confused. Or I did it wrong.

Struggle aside, I needed that hardness. It was the reality of where I am at and it’s a starting point to build on. I actually enjoyed my struggle run. Well, until a dad and his kids showed and parked themselves and stroller in my lane. Seriously??? What happened to track etiquette?

Anyways…Will you join me as I chase down fitness??