Let's Have Some Fun

Would you believe me if I told you that instead of participating in the Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon on November 5th, with the elevation profile of this...

...that I decided participating in the Rim Rock Marathon on November 12th instead would be more fun...even if it has an elevation profile of this...

I'm blaming my friend.  See, she broke her leg during the Denver Rock n Roll Half - which is very sad - but I'm still blaming this all on her.  She and I (and her family) were going to travel to Savannah together.  I had a choice.  I could continue on alone (with my 23,000 closest running "friends"), having been reminded how much I dislike BIG road races having done the Denver Rock n Roll Half myself just last weekend, or I could find a more fun race that was the same (or close to it) date, smaller, close to home and save some money in travel expenses.  And there was the Rim Rock Marathon...practically begging for me to sign up (haha).  So I did.  I have moments of panic.  Not that I can't make it up, just that I can't make the 5 hour cut-off at mile 19.7.  And then I convince myself that I can...so I shall. 

Opting out of Savannah was a relief.  I haven't been consistent enough with my training for the "huge" PR I was hoping to achieve.  So that pressure is off and it brought a new spring to my running step.  I think I finally learned that my running is mine...and my goals should be my own and not someone elses or driven by what I think other people might think they should be.  Now "all" I need to do is make to the cut-off.  And I shall.  And along the way, I'll be enjoying the Book Cliffs and the Colorado National Monument.

Picture credit: Airphoto-Jim Wark

The other lesson I learned while being in this funk and stuck:  I'm very lucky to be able to run.  To move my body and have it do mostly what I want it to do.  My friend with the broken leg can't do this right now.  And others fight chronic illnesses that make their relationship with physical activity tenuous.  So I'm grateful.  Whether it feels speedy, hard, effortless or slow, I plan on making the most of every run for a very long a time. 

I'll being doing some hill work between now and then.  It will quickly be time to go have some fun!  Who's in?  Spots are still open!

Happy Running!

Laura