Growing up, I tried out numerous sports from gymnastics to softball, with some noncompetitive soccer thrown in for good measure. After some trial and error (and error and error) I found my niches in swimming and dance, mainly because these activities require minimal hand-eye coordination.
I really didn't discover running until I joined the cross-country team my freshman year of high school. Shortly after that I quit dancing (in a studio, everywhere else I still dance).
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| Dancing: All day, Every day. |
I loved the way my legs burned through a tough workout. I enjoyed pushing myself and seeing what I was capable of. Though I have very little natural talent (I blame short legs and utter lack of coordination), I found that by working hard I could run pretty fast, by my standards at least.
This year is my first year of running without a team and a coach planning my workouts. What does that mean exactly? Well, so far it means that I have done very little speed work. In fact, I haven't been near a track in over a year. It also means that I can go out on the trails far more often.
Overall, running on my own has resulted in a more zen approach to the sport. More often than not, I don't time my runs, and I'm learning to focus on how my body feels during a run rather than the miles I'm logging. That being said, I'm still sure that I take at least one or two rest days a week, and that I do other activities such as swimming, rock climbing, or Zumba.
I still love racing, and I just completed my first 5-K of 2011 this past Sunday. I'm planning on running another 5-K on December 10th, and shortly thereafter, begin training for my first half-marathon which will take place on April 1st.
But for the present, I'm just gonna focus on enjoying my relaxed running.
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