Obstacles and Excuses

Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Schedule: Week 1, Day 6

Days to Chevron Houston Marathon: 119
Planned activity: 6 mile run
Time and Temp:   6am    71 Degrees
6.0 miles      1:10:25     Average pace of 11:44/mile

It's Saturday morning and my alarm was set for 5:45.  On Saturday.  The weekend.  A day I don't have to work.  Here are some of the reasons I came up with to roll over and go back to sleep:

My foot still hurts a little - not as bad - but a little.

I was up during the night with this pesky GI problem.  It's the blood pressure medication, I'm sure of it.  I'm trying to ride it out, thinking I'll develop tachyphylaxis to this particular side effect.  (I'm giving it until Wednesday, then I'm going to have to try something else.  Mama can't hang a whole lot longer.)

I had an appointment for a mammogram at 7:50.  Running 6 miles and then showering was going to make me cut it close.  I wouldn't have time for breakfast until after the squeezing.

Did I mention it's Saturday?

None of those seemed to be sufficient.  I rolled out of bed, dressed, and was out the door.  I was then faced with reasons to cut the run short:

I didn't know my street would have limited traffic access for cars because of a 5K on the square.  Would that delay me getting to my appointment?  Maybe I should only run 3 or 4 miles?

Hmmm...my foot was tender.  Should I run at all?  (It's been tender, it's going to be tender.  It gets better as I move and I have an appointment with a doctor next week.)

The biggest challenge occurred at mile three and again at mile five.  My gut started to rumble.  I was running in my neighborhood.  I could have cut across parking lots and sliced away at my distance and time.  Instead I walked a few paces and let the wave of discomfort pass.  It did and I picked up my speed again.

I love my Garmin Forerunner 110 watch.  It lets me keep track of my pace and it's reassuring to know that I've got "just that much more" to go and I'll be at my goal distance.  As I ran back onto my street, I saw that the final cones had been laid out for the 5K.  I had .2 miles to go to make 6.  I ran to the end of my block and back then hit the STOP button on my watch.  I buzzed myself into my complex, ran up the stairs, let myself into my apartment and showered quickly. 

I was able to get out of our building before the race began and now I've had my yearly mammogram and my breakfast.  

Oh, that's one thing I won't make excuses about.  If any of you are reading this and you're tempted to do so - make excuses and skip your mammograms - please don't.  It's a little uncomfortable but the alternative (an undetected cancer that spreads and is difficult to treat) is no freaking fun run.



©Michelle Scofield, September 15, 2012 All Rights Reserved