Catching Up

I don't always get to blogging as much as I'd like to but I try to write as often as I'm able. Sometimes it's not even a matter of having the time to write but a matter of inspiration. Sometimes I write a post and can't figure out a good way to end it, so it ends up languishing until I decide to delete it. Focusing on running can be monotonous, especially when I am in training and actually running quite a bit.

I value the process of reflection and the passive sharing that happens with the blog, so I will write on!

These past few weeks have been all about training for my next half marathon which is only a week and a half away. The cool breezes of autumn make for perfect training weather and I am trying to run outside as much as possible until the early darkness guides me into the gym. Last night I decided to head to the South Side with my running buddy and mix things up a bit -- or doing what I like to term an Urban Adventure run. We headed down the trail for the first half, and then back down through the thick of East Carson street, the back allies of the South Side, and over the 10th Street bridge into downtown. There's something to be said for the distractions of the city scape, all the activity, lights, smells, and sounds, as much as I enjoy the peacefulness of the trail.

I have been able to run enough to allay my race panic, the feeling I get that I won't be able to finish a race or that if I do it will be exceedingly difficult. I feel strong and well prepared. The shift in seasons has caused me draw on my internal strength and in turn pour that into my training. As much as I loathe the cold and dark, I know that it is well within my power to make things better for myself, to use my discomfort as a motivator instead of a minimizer - and that makes all the difference.