Positive reinforcement?
Posted by Carrie on 04 Aug 2008 | Tagged as: Fitness and Health, Warm fuzzy
After writing yesterday about how I was going to try to be more positive about all my runs, I woke up this morning grumpy. I didn’t want to do speed work today! Speed work makes me feel inadequate, since (barring sparsely attended 5Ks) I’m not “fast.” And it was early, since Eric needed to get to work early, and my throat hurt, and I was just feeling really reluctant to get out and do what I wasn’t in the mood to do on a good day.
Two 880-yard repeats in, the sky over head was pitch black. It was dark anyway, but this was horror movie dark; I expected to see the sky split and start raining fire on the earth or something. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and, perversely, I started to feel more interested in the run. Should I turn back? I was aimed right at the path of the cloud. Wasn’t likely that I’d be able to outrun it anyway…keep going!
Another 880, and it was sprinkling. A fourth, and it was pouring. The few distant lightning strikes that had barely registered in my peripheral vision earlier had begun to demand attention, cracking nearer and nearer. But I was no longer grouchy or reluctant at all. There’s something about running in the rain - something indescribably primal. I’m not talking about the light sprinkles that are enjoyable on a practical level, cooling you off and washing away sweat. That’s easy to understand. This, the downpour that soaks you to the bone, isn’t practical at all. It’s just fun! I leapt over puddles, cackling; my feet squelched in my shoes from blasting through the puddles that were too wide to be jumpable.
The lightning finally put a halt to my fun, as it got too close for me to feel safe. I cut a mile off my planned distance, and I’ll make up for it later. I don’t feel disappointed, though, which is something unusual by itself. But how could I feel disappointed when I had such a good time? 
That storm was the best thing that could have happened today. I’m still grinning.
4 Comments »
on 04 Aug 2008 at 9:42 am
Heidi said …
Hello! I’ve posted a couple of LJ entries about Kelly’s Girls Night Out. Wasn’t sure if you’d see them, so I thought I’d drop a line here.
Heidi
on 04 Aug 2008 at 10:22 am
Lil said …
I’ve seen lots of per people talk about how they love running in the rain, but you know, I never have. Not even in High school during cross country meets. Actually probably being forced to compete in the rain made me dislike it so.
on 04 Aug 2008 at 6:16 pm
melissa said …
Yep, a good storm can get you running like nobody’s business! Glad it had a positive effect….sometimes it takes the oddest things! Once you are over the initial shock of being drenched, it IS fun!
melissa
on 07 Aug 2008 at 8:51 pm
hannah said …
That is really awesome.
I’ve only been hiking or walking in storms. . .never running
But I do find it thrilling (if not slower paced