Confidence: Renewed

Don’t let it be true! Oh, please don’t let it be true: weather.com reports that it will be 44 degrees on Saturday with wind and showers. Granted, my first race is 4 days from Tuesday, and a distant forecast means next to nothing in NEOhio.

But if everyone in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois could please turn to the west right now and blow really hard, maybe we can slow the weather down. Apparently Friday is supposed to be partly sunny and 45. So, if we could go ahead and put Friday’s weather on Saturday, that would be great.

Today was a little bitter, so I ran inside at the rec. center. Again. I can’t say that I’m losing my taste for outside running, but I am getting a little impatient with winter. I know that winter really only began 1.5 months ago (we’re accustomed to six long months of cold weather), but I could go for a few sunny days of outdoor running when my fingers don’t want to fall off. Maybe just cut back on that wind.

I ran for one hour during lunch this afternoon and was jealous of a girl with a really great stride. No, I didn’t try to race her; I would have been shamed. But it made me wonder what part of running was natural and what could be taught. Whenever I see someone with that effortless stride, I try to lift myself out of my slumping stance and float like they do. But will I ever have that stride? My stride has improved (especially in recent weeks), but plenty of work remains.

Four days before my first race, however, is not the time to start changing things.

Continuing the discussion from Runners World: Rob from work reassured me today that I would finish the 5-mile race on Saturday and I wouldn’t finish last. What made me believe him? He reminded me that there are always people who walk. My confidence is renewed!