I realize that you might think this one will be all about tempo runs, speed training, hill repeats, and the awesome in the TX heat long runs . . . . but you’d be wrong. I want to talk about something else far more important. The kinds of runs I have and the ones I hear my running friends talking about. Here’s the top contenders:

The Run I Did When I Didn’t Want to Run

This one makes me feel like a real bad a#$ when I’m done. But boy oh boy it just about kills me. It can feel like there is an elephant standing in the doorway of my house wearing my favorite sports bra and hiding my ear buds under it’s front foot. In other words, there’s A LOT in my way. Maybe it’s that I’m exhausted – REALLY REALLY exhausted and can barely muster the energy to press the start button on the coffee maker, let alone head out into the early morning hours to pound the pavement.

When I run anyway and survive, I feel like an amazing, overcoming goddess for at least an hour and a half. Or until I get to work;). It doesn’t really matter if the running part is good or if I made a lot of progress in my training – I didn’t want to run. And I did anyway. 5 points for me!

The Run Where I thought I Felt Great and Was Excited and Now I’m out Here and I’m Miserable

I don’t like this one because it sneaks up on me. I’ll practically fly out the front door, energized, rested, hydrated – thinking now THIS is how you’re supposed to feel!! And then, suddenly, my legs feel like lead, I can’t get my breathing regulated, and I get a mysterious cramp in my left calf and that feeling that maybe ordering a vegan plate at the BBQ place last night wasn’t my best move . . .

I don’t like it when this happens and try to quickly forget it when it does or it will spook me into thinking that I’ll never have a good run again . . which leads me to my next run

The I Hate Running and I’m Terrible At It And How Come I covered this same distance in 15 minutes less last time . . .

This is the grand daddy of bad runs. I find it typically happens after several really GOOD running days. Then BAM. Same route, same shoes, same body. DIFFERENT RESULT. You can’t seem to get your groove, your speed, or your coordination. These runs are to be endured and you can NEVER make a big decision about running after one of these bad boys. Nope. Just try to pretend it didn’t happen. Because they will make you want to throw in the towel. But if you do, you’ll miss my final category.

The Run That Makes Me Happy To Be Alive and Amazed at What My Body Can Do!!

These are the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, Folks. They seem almost effortless and you start to imagine yourself being that one woman who, at the unlikely age of 42, sets world records even though she’s never completed a marathon in less than 5 hours . . .oh wait, maybe that’s just me. These are why we do it. They’ll fuel me for a good while and although I realize it’s not realistic to expect this gorgeous lady to show up every time, just the thought that she’s there . . . somewhere . . . if I could just get that damn elephant to give me back my ear buds.