Here I am, awaiting for the next 3 days for the Jingle Bell 5k Run in Fargo, ND. And I have to say that I have been feeling so much better except for a fall which I will explain here in a bit. But all in all of this week, I am feeling confident, strong and happy.
I have decided to switch things up on my routine of running, I started with my runs after work but now I have switched to morning runs (either 5 a.m. or 6 a.m.) and I find myself more focused on the task at hand. And my milage has been gradually building up from 3 miles a day to now an astonishing 12 miles a day!
What amazes me of my training is my mind focus, I have my race coming up and usually by now, I am sweating bullets and jumping up and down, just ready. But now, I am more relaxed and calm and at ease with myself. But when it comes to race day, I am ready and can't wait for my dosage of adrenaline.
My music selection on my playlist has taken a funny yet great turn. I used to jog or workout to music and it as always hard rock or sometimes, hip hop but of all things to enter my playlist was Kelly Clarkson and some Christian music. Don't get me wrong, wonderful choices but I always looked for the hard, edgy music to get me going on tough runs but after hearing that song, What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger) by Kelly Clarkson has been a HUGE motivating factor in my running and my dancing ability too.
Funny story for everyone, after I purchased the song by Kelly Clarkson on iTunes, I liked it because of the beat and the message of the song and boom, instant adrenaline. And after listening to it and pushing it into my tempo base of running, I ended up dancing during my run here in Washburn, ND. To some, quite embarrassing when others drive by and you see an Indian dancing to Kelly Clarkson but come on, I was having fun, I wasn't constricted down to being a robot! To me, I had fun and to those who smiled and laughed made it all seem better, no fear and quite confident. But a fair warning to those who see me in this nature, it is not pretty and just be glad you can't hear me singing, I sound like my little brother when I am trying to hit a high note.
Apart from laughing and having fun with new music, I have been humble to find myself back and the mornings will be seeing me more because I love seeing the difference between morning and evenings, for my runs. And I have discovered that during both sessions, I have found out that even though it is at different times of the day and some like, some don't but to me, I always have a smile and a common respect for what is around me.
Having a day off this week, on Monday, I wanted a challege and so at 6 a.m., I went for a 5 mile run and kept it simple and decided to take it up a notch and do another running session in the afternoon. At 3 p.m., I ran 7 miles to compile my daily average to 12 miles and it was a good steady run and the only thing that messed me up was a train that passed through and it kept me waiting at a crossing for over 7 minutes that I had to make up in the end. But after it did pass, I took the route I wanted and got to the other side, the train stopped and was blocking me, once again! But I ran along a dirt trail and went to the front of the train and decided to just pass by but as soon as I passed, I heard the train start up and scared the living day lights out of me and boom, I slipped and fell down a coulee (a valley formed by water) and I must have dropped 8 feet into the coulee, filled with broken concrete and horrible conditions, I stood up, checked myself, no broken bones (Thank you, God) but I had scrapes on my neck, my elbow and my leg on my left side.
After that tough fall, I was fortunate to not be any more hurt than I was then. But I was glad to finish that run though, to be able to do 12 miles again, very awesome indeed.
Well, this concludes another post from yours truely, a Kelly Clarkson loving Indian that loves to dance. Live life on how you feel. Be strong and be proud. Thank you again.
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