Take It And Run Thursday -- Make A Wish!

Today's theme is .... Make a wish. Share your dream. Holiday season wish lists aren't just for kids. They are for runners too! In the spirit of the season in which anything is possible, share your running dream. Maybe it is a destination race or vacation/race package all in one. Or maybe it is meeting a running hero. For others it may be the chance to be a race director for your own race. Or maybe it is about making running easier or better for you or others. There are no limits - except your imagination and ability to dream.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My running wish / dream is a simple one -- I just wish running were easier for me, that it came more naturally, both physically and mentally... that I didn't feel like I was fighting nature every step of the way. Certainly, like most runners, I have days where I feel like I'm floating on air and I can't imagine running ever feeling awkward or clunky... But here in Minneapolis, where the climate is often uncooperative, those days are few and far between. They usually occur in the spring and fall, when it's warm enough to not be cold, but cool enough to not be hot. In the midst of winter, everything hurts... and I loathe running on a treadmill, so I basically stop running for most of the winter (I'm also a bit clumsy, hence the broken elbow, so running on ice makes me nervous).

I dream of doing another marathon -- of meeting my real goals and having a "perfect race day," weather-wise. Of finishing in 4.5 or 5 hours... of them placing that medal around my neck and calling my name over the PA as I cross the finish line. I'm not sure if I have it in me again to dedicate myself to training like I did in 2007... but I know that the dream is there.

I've contemplated doing a marathon in another location -- Arizona, California, even Paris! But again -- the dates make it difficult, because a January race in Arizona means training through November and December in MN, which, frankly, could be 60 degrees or could be -6.

My running dream is for the perfect conditions (weather, time, schedule, desire, health) to all collide into the perfect race (weather, location, time of year, weight, health). The the weather leading up to the race is temperate. That the terrain I train on matches the terrain of the race (ideally, flat). That the weather on race day is the Goldilocks Weather -- not too hot, not too cold, but juuuuuuuust right.

I'm looking at 2009 and trying to put some goals to it, and realizing that often I'm the only thing standing in my own way -- today it is sunny and beautiful LOOKING outside, but only 16 degrees, and the idea of running outside is only slightly less appealing than even getting into my cold car and heading to the gym. I tend to talk myself out of a lot of stuff, and this is no exception. I know that the answer is to "just do it," and I will -- momentarily, I'll DECIDE to go to the gym, hang up my conference call, and just GO. I'm already in my workout clothes, the gym bag is packed, and once I heat up the car, it's not a big deal at all.

Clearly, the only answer is to move --

Move my body, or move to California?

Off and running,
~Jessica

PS: on the injury front, I'm ALMOST back to normal -- I have a full extension and flexion, and I'm getting closer to rotation. I had my first PT appointment on Monday, and have another one next Monday, and the Wednesday after that. I have exercises to do, and instructions to put heat on it whenever possible -- so I guess one way to talk myself into the gym is with the reward of the hot tub afterwards! Point being -- I should be back in the business of yoga and strength trianing pretty soon.