I'm Starting to Love Running Again!

I couldn't believe it myself: I went for a long run last night, and I actually enjoyed it!

I'm currently in training for the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run, which I still can't believe is in less than two weeks! It's funny because, while I haven't been running a ton, I actually have done a decent amount of training for this race (decent by my normal standards which are not training at all, and maybe remembering a week before the race that it's coming up). I don't think I ran a single race in 2018, and 2017 made me fall out of love with running - probably mostly due to that training schedule I just described.

Needless to say, when I decided to go for a 40-minute run as part of my training last night, I was in total shock when I was feeling great and still had enough daylight and gas to go for a full hour plus. Now, these weren't my fastest miles by any means, but they were fast enough to still pace to finish before the time cutoff at the race, and I didn't give 100% because the training didn't call for it.

What do I think contributed to my success last night? First and foremost, I think teaching and taking all of these indoor cycling classes have really increased my endurance. Secondly, my core strength and overall strength is improving, so I'm stronger and my body can handle a bit more. Third, I have actually done some training over the winter, so I'm semi-prepared! I am definitely not a fan of running in the cold, but our winter was fairly mild, so I was able to sneak in a few outdoor runs; however, I actually ran on the treadmill this winter too!

I've been a little stealthy with my runs (my fiance didn't realize I had been training for this race until I told him about a week or two ago), mainly because I wasn't sure if I was actually going to go through with it. Like I said, I fell out of love with running, so I just wasn't feeling it in 2018. I think that not talking about it has put my mind at ease and allowed me to enjoy it again.

I still have two more runs to get in this week, but I'm feeling hopeful that I'll be able to complete the race in time and finish it with a smile on my face. You guys know I'm not planning on actually competing in any races, um, ever, but this is one of the prettiest races I've ever run (I mean, come on, the cherry blossoms are a sight to behold!), and if ever there was a race to jolt me back into my love of running, this one is it!

Are you running any races in April? Do you train for your races? Have you been slacking on your training?