Training

Training is just that - training your body to go [faster, longer, etc.] with less effort. In the process the body adapts and eventually, with plenty of patience and hard work, the next time you race, you may set a PR. Or you may not, and then it's back to the drawing board. There is no magic secret to hard work.

I am two weeks into my training for what will be a very fun and long season. And I want to share yesterday's run with you. Because to me, yesterday's run is a big part of what training is all about.

I will paint the picture for you:

Beautiful clear sky with stars sprinkled across it. Crisp (very crisp), cold air. Silence except for the occasional passing car. My breath. My footsteps. Sunrise, which leads to some pink on the horizon near the ocean. And a few birds singing away happily. Oblivious to my training run.

Thank you to Ty Wilkins for illustrating a perfect morning image.

And this is where the training part comes into play. The day was beautiful. The run was anything but. My legs were toast from multiple hard training sessions. Which was fine - the run was meant to be longer and easier, not a fast and furious run. But there are some days when the "easy" run feels just that - so nice and easy. And this was not one of those days. The "easy" run felt somewhat difficult. But once I got over myself and quit looking at my slow pace, the run almost became enjoyable. I did my best to take in the sights and enjoy the morning for what it was. I was happy when the run was over. But I was also happy I had run. Because sometimes even the hard-but-easy training runs take a bit of work. And somehow they make those days when the running seems effortless all the better. Whether your legs feel good or bad while running, it's still awesome to have two legs to run on!