Tonight was one of those stellar runs that don’t happen all too often. I waited all day for a run, after having a massage this afternoon and teaching yoga this morning. To be honest, massages don’t always feel so great to me, but I do them as part “treat” and part “treatment” and overall, it’s a good experience. Today’s massage was no different and with a little extra emphasis on my injured achilles, it did qualify as treatment.
I waited all day before running and stopped at a new sporting good store in my area. I picked up a Nike visor and a nice pair of light, black sunglasses. While I was out, it literally dumped buckets of rain for half an hour and I thought my hopes for a run were doomed. But by the time I got home, the rain had stopped. Unfortunately, the rain did some damage to my home, which is an ongoing issue. It’s very stressful but I decided after some clean up, nothing was going to stop me. So, I donned my new visor and sunglasses and headed out.
Maybe it was the massage, maybe it was the rest I got last night, but I felt stellar. And I love the visor and the sunglasses. I highly encourage you to buy good equipment for whatever your sport may be. It serves a function but more importantly, it can just help you feel competent, and admit it.. when you look cool, you feel kind of good, no? Of course, you want to be able to deliver the goods but no one will fault you for having equipment that functions well as well as looks good.
On the back 2 of the five miler, I heard a couple close behind me. They encouraged me silently to pick up my pace, so for the last two, I had a nice tempo blast. The achilles feels great, I came home to do my favorite lobster pot treatment and some take out sushi.
I thought on my run today how many cool women I know that are just true inspirations to me. There are quite a few women in my neighborhood alone who are talented athletes. One has run tons of marathons and road races and has worked through a few injuries that would have sidelined Olympians; one I met this morning in the coffeehouse and she’s doing yet another team triathalon; and a local gal I started talking to about marathons as she’s running one also, lamented about her last run and how she struggled through it. I found out that recently she BROKE HER LEG! Yup, but no…. it didn’t get her down. She recovered and was back on the road. Then there’s my girlfriend who I’ll run Falmouth with next weekend… she ran a 10 miler last weekend, is training for Falmouth and also the Reach the Beach Team relay in September.
These women inspire me, support me, give me great advice and are just all-around wonderful people. I am honored to have them in my life.
I am off the next two days focusing on a business initiative that will keep me from running. I’m actually looking forward to two forced days off. It will feel great to be back on the road next week, getting ready for Falmouth on Sunday.
Be well and remember…. inspiration is all around you. You just need to open your eyes.