Training

100% Fun Run

Lately I’ve been putting myself under a great deal of pressure about increasing my speed (so I can win two races I have scheduled for the spring).  But I just realized, this has really stifled my enjoyment of running (which I never thought would happen).  My training has become like a second job and the last thing I need is more work! Instead of daydreaming or zoning out and enjoying the run… I’ve been constantly obsessing about the time displayed on my stop watch!

On Thursday, I decided to leave my stop watch home and just run 25 minutes straight at whatever pace my body wanted to move.  It turned out to be the best run I’ve had in weeks.  Friday came along and I was “scheduled” to do sprints *argh*… aside from the fact that I already had shin splints… my initial thought was what a painful way to end my week… running fierce for 10 sets of sprints for a couple kilometres… oh what fun!!!  The thought of “having to run sprints” almost made me not want to go for my run… so I made a decision then and there… that from now on I would reward myself on Friday with a 100% Fun Run.  Now when I wake up on Friday mornings… I go with what my body tells me it wants to run.  It might be running hills… maybe it’s running 5K or possibly it will be running backwards… whatever it is… that’s what I’ll do!

So this morning… I put on my favourite (run inspired) Adrenaline Junkie tee and went for an amazing, non-timed 100% Fun Run… I ran 25 minutes straight at varying paces that matched my random music playing on my iPod… How far did I go? I have no idea and honestly I didn’t care.  I ran for the pure enjoyment of running and finished with a smile on my face!