FINALLY, a run deserving of documentation in my blog! Ahhhh, yesterday’s run was great! AND I may have reclaimed some of my #badass status as a runner. Disclaimer: I am going to detail the weather conditions and, believe me, I KNOW they are NOTHING compared to what my friends up North are dealing with. However, this is Texas and it is all relative, right?
The forecast for run-time had been mid-50s, partly cloudy 0% chance of rain and very low wind. Perfect. I checked the weather at 3:00 and all was still good, although a slight chance of rain had crept in at 10%. No worries, right? By the time I dropped Alli off at practice at 5 and headed to the park, the rain chances had increased to over 50%. The sun was gone and so were temps in the mid-50s. When I arrived at the park, I knew I might be in for a little shower.
Of course, I wasn’t going to let the threat of a little rain stop me. I was, however a little concerned about having only brought compression shorts and ss shirt to run in. At the last minute, I remembered I had worn my Dallas Marathon shirt to work, grabbed it out of my bag and threw it on. I didn’t even make it through my warm-up before realizing that I would be running in a downpour. The rain came pouring down and the wind picked up, so much that it felt like little ice pellets hitting my legs and face. And for once, I found myself wishing I had brought a pair of gloves with me! Luckily the rain and wind moved through quickly and the rest of the run was quite enjoyable.

I wasn’t going to disclose this next bit of info, but what the heck. I did not run by heart rate on this time. I have been struggling to keep my heart rate under the threshold AND keep proper form. I have felt like I was doing nothing more than shuffling, and I haven’t been pleased with the effects of this on my body. At this point, I feel it is important to lay the foundation with good form so that I don’t have to deal with some of these same issues later on and the heart rate training will be most beneficial when I get to the long runs again. On Saturday’s run, I focused more on form and my heart rate was well over the threshold, even though the pace I ran was much slower than I had been running (which is saying something, because my run intervals have been SLOW). Yesterday, I just focused on picking up my feet and swinging my arms. I probably ran a bit faster that I would have normally, just because it was so darn cold!! I felt great throughout, though, and I can tell that I am moving in the right direction. It was very reassuring to someone who constantly questions EVERY aspect of her rehab/recovery.
So this is me at the end. Drenched and loving it!
Now might be a good time to admit that I had my Nike running jacket in the car. The Nike running jacket that is wind proof and water resistant AND has built-in mittens. It never occurred to me to grab that jacket. #fail
You’re probably wondering why the title “What the heck (and Ash) Wednesday”. Well….I posted “Flabbergasted Friday” not long ago and I keep encountering people that cause me to scratch my head. Now, it’s difficult to alliterate with Friday, because there are a limited number of “F” words that are appropriate for publishing to the public that express my emotions correctly. I figured why not Wednesday?

I feel there should be some sort of test to be passed in order to use a shopping cart. I mean, we require automobile drivers to have licenses. WHY would someone park their basket this way??
Seriously, rude. Just rude. And it also happens every time I visit Wal-Mart!
Along those same lines are the people who walk right smack in the middle of the lanes in a parking lot. OK I realize pedestrians have the right of way, but can you not scoot to the side to allow cars to pass?
Honestly, I don’t know how some people pass their driving test, but yesterday as I was dropping Alli at school, a man BACKED UP in the MIDDLE OF THE STREET quite a ways, at least 4 or 5 car lengths. WHY???? What possesses someone to do that?
Finally (oh, I have many more, but I’m stopping at four), people who drive the speed limit (or less) in the HOV. Maybe it’s just a Texas thang that I feel I need to go a bit faster than the speed limit, but aren’t you in the HOV so you can go a little faster? *sigh*
It’s Ash Wednesday! The day we are reminded that we are nothing more than dust. I probably should have posted my people rant on Fat Tuesday, since my Lenten practice is going to be to have more empathy and patience with people in general. I will attempt to “give up” the negative thoughts I sometimes have toward others and replace them with thoughts of compassion.
And I leave you with a quote from scripture. The reason I choose to “give up” a bad habit as opposed to food or something else.
God said, “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice . . .? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house?” ~ Isaiah 58:6-7
And while I’m at it, I will share my favorite Bible verse, too 🙂
And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. ~ Micah 6:8
Happy Hump Day!
Jen
I remember, in the late summer/early fall, complaining of temps in the 50s-60s…those were the days LOL
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Hahahaha! I remember that too!!! I always say I won’t complain about the heat. And I don’t….until it exceeds 105. 😁😁😁
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