Hills

I dread this workout every week. It's a stupid 3.4 mile loop beginning and ending at my house but it's ALL hills. It defies logic but I think there's more uphill than downhill, at least it seems that way. It's also an uphill finish which just doesn't seem fair at the end of a run. I remember when we moved here and just walking the first mile made everything hurt. I told myself that the day I could run the whole thing without stopping I'd be a runner again. About 2 months ago I ran it for the first time and I was so proud of myself. I'd done longer runs and faster runs by that point but this one was and remains my toughest workout of the week.

Now that I have NYC in my sights, I am trying to look at this hill workout with new eyes. The NYC course isn't easy, there's all the bridge approaches and the last 6.2 miles are rolling hills through Central Park with an uphill finish. So now when I do this I keep reminding myself that the stronger and tougher I can be on the hills the more prepared I'll be for those last miles. It doesn't make the hills easier, necessarily, but it does keep me focused. I don't think I cursed once today! ;)