When the sun shines bright in the pacific northwest us Washingtonians come out from our dungeons like a zombie chasing human flesh. It doesn’t rain as much as people think, but it IS grey a lot. I’ve come to love the grey skies, they add to the lush green scenery, but this winter was much too long for me.
I like to think I’m always butterflies and glitter, but this winter knocked me straight on my ass. I am more than ready for the sun to come back for the feel good vibes, but what I love most about this time of year is the way the sun hits the snowy mountain tops.
Instant happiness.
I’ve been soaking up my vitamin D with a couple hikes, and a handful of runs.
I’ve been moderately lazy lately, and by moderately I mean immensely. My running has taken place inside on my treadmill because it’s more convenient, but I spent the last week house sitting which forced me outside.
My house mate.
My outdoor runs have been invigorating, but they’ve also reminded me of a few things. First and foremost I don’t love running the way I used to. I enjoy running 3-6 miles on my own terms, but the last two times I’ve tried to sign up for a half marathon in an attempt to kick my fanny into shape have backfired.
I just don’t enjoy running longer distances on my own, and it’s time I accept that. Once every so often I’ll want to bust out an 8 miler, but that’s rare these days. Plus sometimes I would rather be doing things like hiking, biking or even just walking.
Lucky for me I get paid to walk 3x a week with that good lookin cow dog.
With all that said I look forward to more hikes and bike rides as the sun continues to fuel my cells with its power. I had planned to run a half marathon in Portland in two weeks, but my training has been inconsistent so I decided to run the 10k instead.
Best decision I made all week. I get to go to Portland, I get to run a distance I love, and I get to breath easy knowing I can run 6 miles no sweat. OK, a little bit of sweat. It’s true that when you try to force something you end up avoiding it. When running is forced and I don’t listen to my desires for other movement I end up skipping all together.
No bueno.
It feels good to honor thoughts and feelings. Our bodies have a unique way of letting us know what we need. The signals start quiet, but if you ignore them (like I tend to do) eventually they scream at you. I must work on listening for the quiet signals before they come at me like a howler monkey in heat.
On a less serious note school is great, work is the same, my need for a metal detector to find coins in the grass has increased, and I’ve finally bonded on a deeper level with my best friend. By swapping faces.
I’m just gonna leave that there…
Q: Did winter come in and steal your soul like it did mine?
