Some days life tries to get in the way of running. Today was one of those days. I came home, said hello to the tribe, changed clothes and started locking up. Then it occurred to me I was missing one cat. My favorite cat, Bodie, was missing.
(I know it's horrible to have favorites, but I do. It's one of the reasons I never had a second child. I knew I'd like one more than the other.)
The whole tribe looked for him. We looked everywhere. He could not be found. Finally everyone else left and I cried. I couldn't leave without knowing he was ok. Finally, I heard a Bodie sound. I managed to track him down. He'd somehow found his way into my dresser and behind a drawer. How he got his fat body behind that drawer, I can not imagine. Anyway, I broke the drawer and got him out. Bodie rescued, finally time to run. I didn't want to, but I headed out.
I got to the park and within 30 seconds of running I had a wicked pain in my belly. What the hell? Seriously? I kept running. Screw you, you thing that's trying to keep me from running, I thought to myself.  I ran some more and I hurt some more. I walked and then I ran again and little by little the pain left, but my mind still wasn't in the groove. It was just one of those days. I kept doubting my ability to ever run a half, but that doubt would then fuel me to keep going. I felt so contrary with myself...it was weird. Like I needed the cynicism to provoke my inspiration. Finally, and I credit AC/DC on the mp3 player, I found the groove and I finished my 4 miles. Yeah, only 4 tonight but that means I only have 9 to go :)
A little PS-- I've found tempo in music is irrelevant for me when running. What matters most is the lyrics and the mood of the song. It would seem I can regulate my breathing much better when I sing along to what's playing. This amuses me. I wonder how many people heard me singing "You Shook Me All Night Long" this evening?
And in closing, let me show you the beastie that caused that upset this evening:

I'm back.

It's been a while since my last post and I'll tell you why-  In September I started really toying with the idea of running a half marathon, but then life crept up and got in my way. Some of the things I got distracted by were good and all of them fun, but some of them were simply that-- distractions. I found myself getting lazy and less committed to pursing fitness. I really wasn't yet used to working full time and having a life. I love having a job, but I couldn't (still can't) stand the idea of spending any day only working. I wanted to cram life into what was left of the day. I would come home from work and there were always so many other things to do and enjoy other than making myself go out and run. Soon enough I wasn't running at all.

I started to miss having a challenge. As content as I can be, as hedonistic as I can be, I still need a challenge. Without one I get a little melancholy and loose a bit of my groove. Indulgence, I love it, but I need an extra something running through it, behind the scenes, pushing me. For me, for now, that seems to be running. And so, I'm back and in search of my running groove and chasing a half marathon. Said half will be done, if I have any say so in the matter, in 2012. I'm contemplating the Disney Wine and Dine. It's starts at 10pm (gotta LOVE that) and there's wine. Did I mention wine? What better race for me to pop my half cherry than one that honors the two halves of myself?
So tonight I did about 4 miles. A combo of walking and running. This is me afterward. Gorgeous, I says! :-) Hello running, I'm back.