random running thoughts.

today i ran. outside, yay!

running. that's been "a fun, rewarding, but not so rewarding with some sort of physical issue happening" lately. i miss it when i don't do it, lazy as i am to put it off another day, and it is hard even when you are tired, but once i am out there, i am so happy and glad and flying free. til something starts acting up. i push on though. and i get stubborn. i wanted to try to do the cleveland half marathon this may, but waited too long in signing up (b/c of some muscle type issues and trying to get into training mode, etc.) and now it is sold out. maybe i'll try the 10k again.

looking back at my disney half, i learned a few things.

• staying on the monorail line has it's benefits....although it is more costly, you can be more leisurely getting to the start of the race, as it runs constantly, than the other resorts, the buses stop at a certain time. it's also beneficial for your support team to get around the route as well.
• make use of the text to phone updates for the people cheering you on.
• for me, i think i must keep running even after the race, after i have recovered a few days. i took off 13 days (one for each mile, like i had heard you should do). should is the operative word. i think i need to at least do some short runs just to keep with it. that was a problem when i tried to get back to a run plan. it was hard!
• for me, i think i should have some sort of race lined up to keep myself having to train, and keep up some sort of mileage, after the half. just to make sure i don't get totally out of shape. 13 days later i felt like a beginner all over again.
• i still hate running in the cold air. i need to move to a warmer climate. 10 to 20 degrees is a pain. i don't know how people in canada can even train. yuck.
• how come, i run a half, then come back after break and constantly am having a minor type pain, or sore issue. yet on the half, i was the typical sore about 2 days, then fine. is it b/c i turned a year older during the time off? who knows, but it's annoying. i want to go back to how it felt last year. soreness, sure, but aches and pains for even 3 miles is annoying to this runner. i know it could be worse and i tell myself that, but it's still discouraging. ya don't want to make it worsen!
• kt tape has become my new friend.
• i still heart chocolate gu.
• when travelling to a race....pack it all. for disney, i had everything for every type of weather. i think i probably should have had one more type of layer for that race, now that i think back on it.
• running makes me happy. i have to remember that sometimes. it's a good way for me to relieve stress, and there's been a lot of that lately. if i could run each day i would try, but i think my muscles would not like me too much.
• as i run, esp. when i am tired, i realize that i don't know if i could do a full marathon. not just for physical reasons, but my patience might not last that long.
• if i ever do a full marathon, it'll be at disney world. but i highly doubt that will be a consideration.
• half marathons might be my "thing". i'd like them to be anyway. i need to do another one to be sure. and one that isn't disney (but i do want to do more disney, next year!)
• training all last year, as hard and tedious as it was at times, paid off. i was in good shape for that half. maybe i should do that again this year. train for smaller races under 13 miles, and work my way up again. and then try to keep up better afterward like i mentioned above.

today while i was running i had this thought. maybe next year i should do the disney world half (january) and the princess half (march). am i nuts? it'd be something to keep working on after january. the other issue is the expense, both races are overpriced. and then there is the travel. but i am really thinking that thought. am i crazy? maybe. 2 vacations would be so fun though! we'll see how this thought progresses. as well as the savings account!