25 April 2011

All Alone On The Internet

I hate that in my tailbone-induced blogging absence everyone up and abandoned my blog. That's fine, I didn't like you guys anyway, even though I totally still subscribe to all of you and read you every day, including several people who don't know I exist because I am a certified Blog Lurker.


o hi there, just enjoying ur blog

THAT IS JUST FINE. It does make me think of important philosophical questions, though, like "if I blog and no one reads it, is it still a blog?" Really, the absence of readers is just expanding my mind.

After bravely announcing my marathon plans to the world, aka my friends and family, most of whom were then strong-armed into donating money to my cause, I proceeded to sit around for about a week and a half. Just sitting! Pondering and thinking seriously about running, but never actually doing it. I don't really know why.

Well, partly I do. I am very good at procrastinating and also occasionally good at not following through with projects, so you can imagine the one-two punch that Training For A Marathon induced in me. Normally when I am getting back into running shape I start by going 2-3 times per week, about 20-25 minutes each time, not worrying about distance or pace, just focusing on running for roughly the same amount of time each outing. This has always worked for me. It takes me about two weeks to get back in some semblance of shape this way, and then I go from there. But THIS time, because I was Training For A Marathon, the very idea of going for a 20-minute run was killing me. I don't know if it was intimidation or just feeling like a 20-minute run was an insult to the idea of marathon training or what, but I just Could. Not. Do. It.

I am a master of excuses, of course, so there were plenty of REASONS why I couldn't go, like I had to work or it was raining or my rabbit chewed the laces on one of my running shoes and now it was like
really hard to tie. All of these things are true and actually happened, it's just that none of them are a good reason to skip running. Finally on Good Friday, after procrastinating for three hours, I got fed up with myself and went out to run.

It was supposed to be a 25-minute run; it of course ended up being 3.72 miles and 34 minutes because - surprise! - once I actually got OUT there, I was all, "oh right, I like doing this." And then I got up early on Easter Sunday and went again, this time for 3.62 miles. And now I feel sort of in the zone about it, which will of course change at some point; I will be crabby about having to run and I won't want to do it but thanks to publicly announcing my marathon goal to the world (and simultaneously no one, since no one is reading, dramatic pause for my weeping), and thanks, more, to the fact that I am running now to benefit homeless animals, I know I will go and get it done.

I am a lot slower than I like right now (I am running pretty consistently at around a 9:10 pace). I am also working hard on reminding myself that I have run three times after taking three months off and maybe I should just shut up and let that improve by itself, or at least shut up and let myself get to a point where I am in shape enough to do speed and hill work. Either way I am trying to shut up.

To keep motivated and make sure I keep training I also registered for a 5K on May 14. It's called the Legend of Arlage Spring Run 5K. I have zero idea what any of that means, though apparently it is a race to fight homelessness. I looked it up on DailyMile and it didn't exist there so I had to create a page for it. Currently I am the only participant. I mean I am sure in the non-internet world there may be other people registered, but at least on DailyMile, I am
totally going to win my age group. Booyah!

I would have tried harder to make this post more entertaining, like with photos or by showcasing more clearly my wittiness, but I don't think anyone will read it anyway so whatever. Also this is the one and only time I will ever whine about not having readers, I'm so not that type of blogger. Consider yourself whined warned.

8 comments:

  1. You dork. :)

    Yeah something about actually training for a race makes wanting to run harder for me. Too much pressure i put on myself, i guess? Any way - welcome back!!

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  2. I'm with Melissa. It's SO much easier to train when I'm signed up for a race. Whine all you want about your followers. : )
    And, HECK yes for possibly being first in your age group. No one else needs to know you were the only runner! haha.

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  3. I LIKE IT WHEN YOU CALL ME A DORK.

    Capslock was totally unintentional but once I realized it was on I went with it, BOOYAH!

    @Danielle - Seriously, not wanting to die in front of spectators during a race is working as motivation for me so far, though it is supposed to rain all day tomorrow and my shins hurt so we shall see how long it lasts. I need ice, stat.

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  4. Well hi James! I didn't know!

    omg the pressure of readers.

    also can someone please explain this Google Friend Follow thing or whatever to me? I feel like in blogland people might get annoyed if I do not follow them back, or something, but I just prefer to add y'all to my Google Reader. is this the same thing? could I sound more like my mother right now, asking for technology advice? anybody? Bueller?

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  5. I think it's the same thing?? Hell, i dunno. You can tell i am not tech savvy in that nature either.

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  6. So, not to freak you out or anything, but you're def one of the blogs I stalk so this is VERY EXCITING!

    I'm mildly less creepy in real life, for serious, I promise.

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