Respiratory Distress ;-)



       If you live Western Mass one of the best known and most loved traditions is the Holyoke St. Patty's day road race and parade. For years I've attended the race and every year, drink in hand, I'd think "I'll run next year." So this year, I did and I was excited about it. Oddly, enough before the start of the race, watching the crowds drinking beer and eating amazingly delicious looking greasy food I thought "maybe it is more fun being a spectator."




 

        I had a lot of nervous energy getting ready to leave the house before this race, but I didn't attribute any of it to the run itself. I should have, and I should have taken some time to focus, I am still NOT a seasoned runner by any means and this route is a pretty hilly six mile haul.



Kiss us... We Train for Life





        As usual there were a large number of TFLers running this race together, which is always a fun time, great motivation and support. My friend Jon, who recently moved to Boston returned home to run with me and we decided before hand we'd actually run together. Now, I know he's faster than me, always has been but I underestimated just how much. It became pretty clear, even in the first mile. we were not an equal match. Running with people at a faster pace is supposed to improve your pace... not on Saturday! In general, I've attributed most of my running struggles to head games. This was probably the case Saturday, regardless, this run handed me a load of crap and I didn't deal with any of it well. Besides feeling like a dog chasing a car, trying to pace with Jon, I couldn't concentrate on anything! Not my breathing, my pace, nothing! And I wasn't having fun, although, the guy pushing the running stroller full of beer did make me giggle. I wanted to stop... like every 60 feet, I wanted to stop. At one point, having slowed down so I could catch up, I complained to Jon. "I have a stitch and I just can't breathe!" He's not a man of many words, he's also a nurse, so if your going to collapse he's a pretty good guy to have around. In this case his response was simply "Let's Go." So I did. He told me later in the day had I presented in the ER breathing the way I was breathing during the race they would have assumed I was having a respiratory emergency.... delightful.

Somebody tattoo this on my brain!

         It always comes down to a matter of your mind believing what your body is already capable of doing. This has been an on going battle for me, probably will continue to be. In reality its the same battle we fight against tackling the pile of paperwork on our desks or putting the laundry away. You can do it, you should do it, you'll feel so good when it's done! For me when it comes to running and training when I'm done, even though I feel great, I think I can always do better. Maybe I need to do I better job in celebrating the simple act of finishing something I've started. Truth is I hope I'm always looking to get better, if there isn't something greater to strive for then what's the point?!