And somedays it sucks.....

So here's the truth, I love to run, on good days, and I hate to run on bad days.  In fact, if you are not in the mood to listen to whining, now would be a good time to log off.  It sucked, bad.

I haven't really run much since the 5K in April.   I did some last week in the woods and it was alot of fun.  So when I saw the twins in the grocery store last night and they suggested a long run I was ready. 

I love to run with the girls. They are fun. Faster than me so I have to push myself, but not so much better that we can't hang. they make me laugh, and somedays wish I had their youth. Our routine is pretty much the same.  We chat and catch up as we warm up for about 1/2 mile then we all three put on our earphones, line up in random order and go to it. I watch their ponytails whipping in the wind, I dodge Lindseys spastic arm and get lost in thought.  Once in a while one of us will point out a susnet, or sunrise.  I'll tell them to smell the gardenias blooming, or just listen to our breathing. It's a rhythm I find comforting.  When my groove is within reach I know it, my breathing becomes slower, my mind settles and I can let the days events wind their way through my brain.  Tonight started out slow, I was feeling sluggish, but the girls were in no hurry so I knew in about 10 minutes I'd be in my groove. The groove never came, or else when it came I missed it gasping  and thinking of Peanut Buster parfaits.

I knew it was a washout when I realized mile two was making my legs feel like lead, and my knees were beginning to feel wobbly.   I lookedup and saw both girls wiping sweat. Y"eah, it's hard becasue it's awful hot this afternoon, my groove is just around the corner.", I tell myself.   I topped 2 1/2 by turning up Lakeport.  Now my lungs were burning. Screw it! I'm walking, and so I did. As usual, the girls see me and slow down.  They begin to walk too. They say they are tired, but I know better, they feel sorry for me.  As I finally catch up they tell me how awesome we did. Blah blah blah, we  all know we all wanted to quit. It sucked.
But we don't quit, we muster up a little more umph and top the hill of mile 3 at a slow jog.  Is my groove here at the end?  No, legs still shakey, mind still begging me to stop. I hang it out for the last 1/2 mile then declare to the girls I think I'm gonna stop running, and maybe take up gardening.  They laugh. they know I'm just tired and cranky. They know that I will run again, probably tomorrow,  and maybe tomorrow I'll find my groove early on.  The beauty of running, for every bad run, there's always tomorrow.