Faith Restored

I haven't really been into running lately. I'm still doing it, but mostly because I have the NYC half in 2 weeks. Not because I'm really enjoying it. I've been reading a lot of other bloggers who have been struggling either because it's been winter or they're trying to get their mojo back after a marathon, or both. Maybe that was the case for me. I'm glad I made it through the winter and kept with it but I can see it becoming more and more of a chore lately. An obligation. And that's that I don't want about my fitness routine because bad things happen when I feel tied down by too many obligations. Something always goes and it's usually exercise.

I'm enjoying Xfit a lot. It came at the right time for me. It was new, it was tough, and it was radically different than those long, lonely runs I had been doing all Fall. I made friends. I was doing things I had never done before, like ROPE CLIMBS, and I was moving further and further away from wanting to spend so many hours running for seemingly nothing.

Today was the first 5K of the season for me. It also was my first 5K (Kelly 2.0) last year at this time. Last year I ran it in 36:33 and I was psyched to finish. In so many ways, it got me on the road (no pun intended) to great things.

2010



To be honest, I might have skipped going today. I've been in a funk. It's an hour each way to get to the race. The weather is crappy. And I was thinking, "It's just a 5K." But I was meeting Sarah Sundae there. It was her first 5K and we're doing the NYC Half in 2 weeks so I had a good reason to go.



Notice anything different? While I've kept up with my Paddy's Pub streak of apparel, I am so much more fit. Lean, even. It took seeing this to remind me that it's been an awesome year full of challenging myself. If that wasn't good enough as a measurement of my journey, this sure is:

2010 time: 36:33
2011 time: 26:34

That's 10 minutes off my time from last year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I averaged an 8:50/mile pace today. I didn't even think that was possible for one mile, nevermind a 5K. A 10-minute improvement on a 3-mile race is pretty epic, if I don't say so myself. And I ain't getting any younger. ;) I not only beat my very best 5K time from 2003 (28:58), I freaking shattered it!

It was something about being back in a racing crowd, having a number, and, more importantly, having confidence that I wasn't just running to finish anymore, I was running. Period.

I needed this. While I still might take a break from distance training after the NYC half I am feeling a renewed passion for running. I'm seeing that it doesn't have to be all about mind-numbing long runs, it can be about a costume-filled, fun race. And I can run faster than I've allowed myself to because I always felt like I had to save it for the distance. That's a whole new challenge for me. I'm thinking something in the 25-minute range will be the very best I can get to but that would be pretty awesome to get there. Knowing what I know about running, shaving another minute off my finish time is going to take a LOT of work but I think I'm ready again. Love that!