Sunday, May 13, 2012

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Since Monday's run was just an OK run, I decided to rest this week; skipping Wed., Thurs. & Sat.'s runs. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder. I'm still trying to decide if I want to run the Five Trails Half Marathon in Leavenworth, KS a week from today. I KNOW I can do it, just wondering how smart it is & how quickly my body would recover. Considering these factors, I'm leaning towards NOT running the Half on Sun. in order to continue to be strong for the Hospital Hill Half Marathon, KCMO June 2. I am still wrestling with this though. I want to push my body; I need to. However, I also realize this May 20 run wasn't an original goal of mine, it just meant something personal.

Anyway, in missing out on several runs, I CANNOT wait for tomorrow. It's a scheduled 3 miler. I know I want to go further. ;-) Missing my own runs, I was excited today when my hubs FINALLY decided on a new pair of runners. I've been trying to convince him he needed new ones for sometime now. His others have a respectable 400 miles or so on 'em. Maybe more. :) I feel bad sometimes because I have 3 pairs of runners I run in regularly. They all have their purpose. So, now I don't have to feel quiiiiiiiiite so guilty. LOL!

Getting to the meat of today's blog.................. I volunteered for a sweet little 5K yesterday. It was a brand new event for a great organization. Together with some of my running buddies, we volunteered to help this little town have quite the event. One of my running buddies helped organize this run and the course. He did a great job! There were very few runners, some walkers & LOTS of support. It was an overcast and cool morning. Great for a run!

My friend Melissa and two teenage friends "manned" the corner of a little dirt road and a very busy town road. We had ELECTRIC lemonade colored vests, orange cones & the assistance of a cutie young town copper. The girls were there to cheer on their dad (who won said event) & ended up cheering, very energetically, for everyone else! They took turns holding the 2 mile sign that sported lots of HAPPY verbage.

As runners & walkers passed our corner, we would whoop & holler for them. Then, we would just wait for the next wave of 2 or 3. Zoda, one of the younglings, asked if we just cheered for the front runners or if we cheered for everyone. Melissa & I explained to them, of course we cheered for all. That's what runners do... for each other... there's a lot of fellowship between runners. Walkers too. At that moment, I wanted to just join in the run. Melissa & I even teased that we were going to do just that. One of the girls could just drive really slowly back to the starting line. LOL! No! We did not join & neither Zoda, nor Alice had to illegally drive back to the start.

Being a volunteer puts a smile on my face. Helping out others so the event is seamless & successful, puts a smile on my face. Visiting with friends afterwards puts a smile on my face. Seeing how happy everyone is while enjoying their successful event, puts a smile on my face. Being a part of a track club that helps others make their first event a success, puts a smile on my face...................

Not having run since Monday, makes me miss my music, the scenery, the NOTHING going on in my head. I've missed it this week. Running, I think, is my mistress & I MISS HER TERRIBLY! Absence from running really DOES make my heart grow fonder. The fondness for the rush I get, the destressing it gives me, the accomplishment I feel afterwards, it's more than a want. It is all a NEED in my life.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder & THAT makes my heart & soul smile. Tomorrow, my sweet mistress & I shall meet again.

Happy running y'all!!



2 comments:

  1. Great comments, Dianna! You, and Melissa did a terrific job supporting the runners, and Scott was a marvelous first-timer as race director. Once the cop drove by, Zoda, or could have driven your car back to the finish line. (Notice I did not say your car would not see some extensive bodywork during the drive.)

    As for running Five Trails, I think you have to consider two things: how well recovered you are from your injury, and what your goal for a finish time for either race is. If you run FT, and run hard, it will definitely have an affect on your finish time at HH. If you run FT at an easy pace, it will have less an effect on HH, but, possibly still some effect.

    Other than that, keep pushing yourself! That's how you have achieved all your other life goals.

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    1. Thanks Tom! I'm still struggling w/what I want to do. I KNOW what I want to do- FT, but I KNOW too that I've been taking a long time to recover. I'd be pleased w/any result but I don't want to go into HH feeling disappointed in the way my body's feeling. UGH! I think as I type this out... I am coming to the conclusion of I shouldn't be doing FT, & that makes me a little sad.

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