Anal AND Annoying

Sooo, if you read the comments on my blog you will have seen that one friend recently requested a blog post about how anal and annoying I am!  Now, SOME people might consider a comment like that rude...or at very least a little judgmental...  But you have to KNOW this friend...then it is just FUNNY.  What makes it even funnier is how monumentally true it is!

I AM anal....and it IS annoying!  But I'm ok with that.  It hasn't always served me well in ALL areas of my life.  I have control issues (my son can attest to that) and my need to control things did neither him nor I any favours when I was raising him.  My control issues also make me a bit of a psycho because I have irrational fears of pretty much anything out of my control (which includes most of the world!).  So, what was I saying about being ok with it?  hmmmm...

Oh yah!  I am ok with it because in some cases it works well for me.  And since this is a running blog...it has served me especially well with running.  I started running with the Couch to 5K program.  I listened to a podcast which told me when to run and when to walk and when to stop.  It was perfect for me.  I knew what to expect each and every time I ran and stopping wasn't a question... I had to do what I was being told to do (which drove this same friend insane when I got to the point that I was willing to run with her...I still remember her ready to kill me because we were on a downhill and she wanted to take advantage of it and start running...but my podcast hadn't given me the go-ahead yet.  Still surprised she didn't shove me under the next passing car). 

When I finished the Couch to 5K I then went on to the Gateway to 10k, training for the Bloomsday 12K and then began a routine of running every second day.  It is not an option for me.  Weather doesn't matter.  The "rule" is I run on running days.  I don't see it as an option...and while people think I am insane - I am training for a half marathon... If I had given myself the option to quit - if I didn't follow the plan in a hugely anal, annoying way....I would have quit...long ago.... I know it.

I have gotten slightly more relaxed about my routine.  Recently, I cut back my lunch-time workouts to only 2 days/week instead of 5 (though I still go to the gym for core work and stretching those other 3 days) and though I am following a new training plan I have given myself a little bit of leeway with it.  Today was to be my long run day (though only 8k) and tomorrow an easy 4k... But I had signed up for a 10k which is tomorrow so I did my short run today and will do the 10k tomorrow.  Just like that...I changed things up!  Like a crazy woman!! 

But after that...it's back to my schedule, back to my routine, back to being anal and annoying....because anal and annoying keeps me running!

Lucky Lucky Me

Every now and then I am reminded that despite any set-backs that may occur in life, I am a super lucky girl!  I am especially lucky to have some wonderful, supportive, encouraging and super cool friends.  Went for a great walk with Kyla today...not only was it a nice walk - but she is so freaking entertaining, you can't help but be in a good mood when you've spent time with her...

I kept talking about my running girls to her too....and she (being the awesome, supportive ultra-cool chick she is) commented on how great she thinks it is that I have these women in my life that are willing to do crazy things with me like Bloomsday, the Vegas half...and maybe, just maybe a duathlon??!!  I, of course, know how lucky I am to have them (both for the running support and for all the support in so many other ways!) but having someone else comment on it is a great reminder.

Everything else seems less important when I focus on just how lucky I really am!  Lucky lucky me!

Saw this quote today.  Totally reminded me of my friends today:  "A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success"

Sometimes You Need A Push

Great 9k today.  All three of us were finally back together....Colleen, Gerilee and I.  Yay!!  Whether intended or not, having Gerilee running beside me pushes me to do better so I was able to take another minute off of my 9k time from last week!  Getting 10k done in under an hour might just be possible some day after all.

Followed the great run with some sprints and stretching.  Think my quads might protest somewhat tomorrow.  Still enjoying the running thing so much more now, though.  Amazing what pain-free running can do for you :)