Friends and Enemies

Not to worry, my subject is not nearly as ominous as the title sounds. I was thinking yesterday that there are so many things that make me happy in running and then other things that are driving me crazy.

Friend: Disney! Can't wait, we are very excited and not just for the marathon but for all the super fun things that we are going to do. My children talk about it every day...if we don't see Lightening McQueen or Nemo..there will be trouble :)

Enemy: INJURIES! Most know of my nagging foot injury that put up roadblocks for several weeks during my training. I will not say that there is no pain but lots of massage, physio, orthotics and proper coaching really made a great difference. Sunday I did 35k and the pain was no more than the rest of my body! There is nothing more frustrating than having an injury after you are doing something so great for your body, mind and overall health.

Friend: My new Asics running shoes!

With all my research on how to alleviate my foot pain, it was suggested that I give the Cumulus or Nimbus models a try. LOVE THEM. For the first time, I am really having no foot or heel pain while I run. From a dedicated Nike girl - I am converted.

Enemy: Darkness. This time of year, it is dark - a lot. If I run in the early am it is dark. If I want to run in the evening, I have to go by 4:00 if I still want to be in daylight. Sometimes I don't mind the darkness but I can sometimes get talked into slowing down or walking for safety reasons or because it just seems so late and I am tired (even though it might only be 5:00). Here's to the planet speeding up the rotation process.

Friend: I have discovered a great benefit to running that some people talk about more than others (I am thinking men vrs women). Great Jeans. And no, not the genetic kind.

It is fair to say that I am not walking down any catwalks anytime soon but I enjoy that some of the more jiggly bits are little tighter and firmer. No woman out there can honestly say great jeans don't matter - just admit it. Let's not get crazy though, lots of parts are still a little too big and a lot more jiggly...perhaps I should do another marathon after this to keep working on it?

Enemy: Icy Roads.

For many of you this is not a problem. Here in Canada we have winter so ice can be a nightmare. As long as people clear their walkways and driveways, ice on running routes are not always a problem. However, quite often there are patches and sometimes they sneak up on you. I do hate treadmills but sometimes they are a necessary evil so I don't break my neck.

Friend: Support. This blog and my blogging friends, family members and non running friends who pep me up when I am tired, offer to babysit when Daddy is away. Friends that run really far distances with me when they don't have a race they are training for (thanks Moe/Marci). A great husband who makes sure I get the time I need and gives the green light on YET ANOTHER pair of shoes and kids who drive by with Daddy to cheer me on. Support is vital to success and I could not ask for more.

So there it is. My thoughts for today!