The trick hip rides again!

Ok, just to whine: my hip hurts.

I noticed after my run last Friday that my right hip was a little creaky/achey. This happened a lot when we first started running, but I just stretched often and tried not to overdo it and eventually it dissipated. I still have twinges from time to time, usually when I go out after missing a couple of sessions, but it's a mild ache and goes away within a day or so.

By Saturday evening it felt fine, so I thought nothing of it, but after last night's run, my hip is really, really sore. I had a hard time sleeping because I couldn't find any position that stayed comfortable for more than 20-30 minutes.

Whine whine whine. I feel 100 years old.

Holiday Slowdown

Everyone's running has been somewhat haphazard lately. Christmas just passed, New Year's Day is right on its heels, and there's a lot of traveling going on. I managed to get in 30 minutes on Friday night thanks to Brian suggesting we go out to train, and I've been exercising indoors (using My Fitness Coach for my Wii, and videos) but running has not gotten enough love lately for sure! Don't want to lose all we've fought and suffered for the last eight months - gotta get back in the swing of things. After all, I only have 67 days left to train for the Princess Half Marathon.

Apparently, Mother Nature Reads This Blog

While the rest of the country is experiencing an ungodly winter of ice and snow storms, Atlanta is enjoying temps in the high 60's. It's not like we haven't gotten cold yet. It was evil-grade cold not that long ago. But right now, we are in some magic pocket of warm and rainy days, my dream weather.

I guess my post about being over the cold weather didn't fall on deaf ears!

Thanks, Mother Nature. I'm sorry I've been calling you a frigid bitch lately.

Foolish running ambassador

I do something completely ridiculous when I run. Anytime I am passed by an oncoming car, I smile.

When I'm trotting along, out of breath and possibly delirious, this seems like a good idea. "Show people how FUN it is to run," I think to myself. "It might inspire someone to try it!"

Last night as I was running and flashing my awkward, tired, slightly fake grin, I realized that this could backfire in two different ways:

1. My smile might look so bad when I'm running that it might appear to be a grimace.

2. Say someone DOES try running because I looked so damn happy doing it. Five minutes in, they'll just be thinking, "That bitch is crazy!"

Still, it's kind of a habit now, so I'll probably keep doing it.

Cold weather: I'm kinda over it!

While running with Tricia and Heather yesterday, I was actually ok with the cold weather. I don't know if it was just a post-exertion thing or what, but the rest of the day, I could NOT get warm. Not even indoors, not even in a hot shower. When Brian and I went out in the afternoon to run errands, I was miserably cold every time we were outside. Blech.

On the upside, only 90 days until we spring forward!

My Imaginary Friend, The Fear

During last night's run, I was blathering to Heather about how bad last Friday's run had been. Because of the holiday weekend, Brian and I were the only ones out that night. It was cold and rainy and my legs felt like lead. I got about a mile and just felt like I could not run any more. I walked the rest of the way holding my beloved's hand, which was lovely, but I was already wrestling with The Fear.

The Fear (oh yes, it's got a proper name) is that instant worry when I have a bad run that I will never have a good run again. I always have that negative thought of "This is it. This is exactly how far you managed to get, and now you will never get any better. You've peaked, and now we're on the downhill slope."

Let's be frank - a LOT of my motivation in life is born of fear. I work hard because no matter how stable my job may seem, I'm always scared I could be fired or laid off. Anything I sew or make has to be as perfect as possible because I cannot deal with criticism - I am AFRAID of it.
But the upside is that I have somehow cobbled my various neuroses into a pretty productive method of getting things done. So, at least I'm not PARALYZED with fear, right?

Anyway, the comedy in all this is that so far, The Fear has always been el wrongo. I always manage to get back to my regular run. So far. But there's no telling when The Fear will come true! So I have to keep pushing. Gotta be vigilant. Can't let The Fear win.