The Key is Pacing Yourself

I found this post in the drafts folder, written in December 2009. Since it's "Throwback" Thursday, it's as good a time as any to post it. 

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I love to run.
I hate to run slowly.

I know, "run" and "slow" aren't equal. What I mean is that I don't like to jog. I like to see how fast I can go. Unfortunately, my endurance level is at a level -7 which means that I can go about 45 seconds before I get winded (okay, perhaps this is hyperbole... I can run for at least 50 :) ). Also, I don't love to run with others because I can only actually run with them for a short time (this is also hyperbole - by "short time" I mean two minutes tops; after that, I fall over).

With this background, our story begins:

My plans for today were as follows: get up at 6:15, go to school at 7:45, come home at noon, take a nap, do laundry, take another nap, go to work.

For one reason or another, the nap didn't happen. I'm disappointed by this, because it seems that when I plan a nap, it doesn't happen. And I got four hours of sleep last night.

It all started when I realized that I should wash the jeans I was wearing. I haven't done laundry in awhile (not enough quarters) so no clean pants were available. I changed into leggings and shorts and tennis shoes since flip flops were way out of the question (because it's cold, not because I'm too good for such a marvelous ensemble), so that I could wash normal clothes.
At that point, I got really ambitious, or stupid. My belief is that it came from the really weird adrenaline rush of not sleeping, but I decided to go for a run. Did I mention that it's 26 degrees outside?

So I grabbed my iPod, zipped my jacket as high as it could go, sipped some water, and went for a run. Somewhere during the first five seconds, I decided to pace myself this time. I usually go down a certain long stretch of sidewalk first, and try to run about half of it (it's half a mile... yes, my endurance stinks, remember?). This time, I ran slowly and made my way to the end without stopping. Then I kept on running, not stopping. This went on for a very long time, until I found myself back at my apartment, 1.8 miles later.

My lungs are not thankful that I did that to them and for some reason a bunch of pressure is hanging out in my head now... but I don't care... even though it's a small accomplishment, I'm super proud of myself :) I will be trying that again soon!

The key IS pacing yourself!