The Reason to RUN.

In my last post I talked about the motivating force behind taking up a running adventure and goal,  to do something that even you yourself question if it is possible.  Basically getting in touch with a basic motivator and your reason for running.  I shared my own experience that literally drove me to run a race and how most motivators are deeply personal.  They are so deeply personal and usually come from a very deep place.


Interestingly enough tonight, as I was browsing through several random running blogs, I kept coming across a book called, "Running On Empty."  With further investigation I learned it is written by an 57 year old extreme runner who focuses on adventure running.  When I say extreme, I mean logging in thousands of miles, tops of summits and having his toenails removed as not to have to deal with toe problems. (I guess real runners who run real long distances have this problem....talk about a medical pedicure!)   Regardless of the fact he is on the extreme spectrum of where I EVER want to be in running, I found this great quote he wrote in his book regarding his deeply personal reason for running.  After having a really hard life as a teen farm hand, losing a wife to cancer, Marshall Ulrich said this about his motivation....


"As for me, sure, there's an underlying compulsion: survivor's guilt and a need to punish myself, to prove myself, to face down my own mortality, to defy death. But my running is also a reflection of my upbringing, a work ethic, a personal challenge. My love of history gets interwoven, too - the feats of other people in other times - coupled with the alluring possibility that I might be able to go farther, faster, today."


Inspiring.  I get it.  


Now back to the medical pedicure...


I didn't get to do any run training today due to a pedicure mishap.  I nicked the side of my foot by my little toe with a foot shaver; a small wound but it was just too raw for a running shoe to keep rubbing against.  I was however, a good little cross trainer and worked on my core and arms.   


Cross training should be done whenever you don't/can't run.  The benefits of strengthen your other muscles comes in handy as a strong core is essential to good form and literally "holding it together" during a run.   So today was not a total loss.  

I am prepared however to wake up and hit the trail.  One way to make sure I am ready for an early run is to have everything prepared and easy to do in the morning.  I have my water bottles with my vitamin pack ready to grab, my running back stocked and I even wear my running clothes to bed!   Hey, after 45 years, I know myself and how my brain works.  I'm ready for any excuse I may come up with!