Making Peace

Bobble Head Award

I had no business running a 5k Saturday morning.  My quads were the most sore they've ever been after a half marathon.  The huge blister on the ball of my right foot?  Still there and very painful.

I told a friend I would run...and so I did.

Saturday morning dawned with rumbles of thunder.  A huge storm system was rolling through.  Thankfully, the rain stopped just before race time.  But, you guessed it  --  100% humidity, 75 degrees, no breeze.  My mindset was not the best and my time reflected that.



The storm apparently kept most people from participating.  I came away with 3rd place overall female.  Was my time worthy of an overall award?  Absolutely not.  But when people ask me about placing in races, I always say the first rule is to simply show up.

Shame on me for not racing with a better attitude!

I've decided to make peace with the humidity {...om...om...}.  After all, it will be a part of my life for the next six months or longer.  I need to just grow a pair...of gills, that is.  No one wants to read about how humid my runs are and I don't want to write about it.  "I will not stress over things I can't control."  {Repeat}

I can control my attitude.  Saturday afternoon I went to check on a sick family member.  Talk about a much needed jolt of perspective.  I am healthy.  I can bathe myself.  I can walk unassisted.  Heck, I can even run!  I will NOT take that for granted ever again, humidity be damned.

I can also control the effort I put into running.  As long as I give it everything I have, it will be fine.  My pace may not be the number I want, but as long as the effort is there the pace will naturally be lower in better conditions.

On Sunday, I finally tried out my purchase of a 12 oz. Amphipod handheld bottle.  This is the best I've used so far!  It did not leak and you can actually squeeze the bottle, which I like to do.  (Hard plastic bottles don't allow me to do that and then I must tip my head way back to drink.)  It has a nice roomy pocket and the fit is adjustable.  It was very comfortable on my hand.  If someone could just omit the sloshing sound?  Wishful thinking.

Sunday's plan was a maintenance run of 6 miles.  But, my elephantine blister was having none of that!  At mile 4, we came home for a little surgery.  {...om...om...}

So that was my weekend.  Any tips for the humidity?

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