Weathering the Weather, Whether or Not I Want To

I swear, everywhere I run, there is at
least one spot without a sidewalk!

So today's run was really a test of committment. Those who know me can really appreciate this. I really don't like when just parts of me get wet. It is a huge pet peeve of mine. Showers, pools, baths, those kinds of things are fine. But I hate when I get my clothes wet or when I get rained on. It is so annoyong. So when I walked out the door this morning and felt that perpetual mist, let's just say it took a lot of will power to stick it out. I know there are going to be days in training where I'm going to be running in the rain, but I plan to invest in a decent poncho.
Anywho, with the stretching I learned the other day, my legs and

I don't think there is a picture that
could emphasise how much this
viaduct sucks!!!

hips felt pretty good today. I feel I am able to discern between what is the dull ache in my knees due to the stretching and growth of muscles and what is something I should be concerned about. I don't think I'm at the point of concern at this time and I am continuing to work on improving my stride so as to prevent injury. I watched an excellent video on youtube yesterday that described some common mistakes that first time runners make when working on their stride. Check it out, it's only a few minutes long and if you're a first time runner, it could save you from having to miss your first marathon due to injury.



I worked on these techniques this morning and I think that they are going to really help to keep  me from injury.
So, there you have it. I've completed my first 4 days of training, running four miles a day. Tomorrow is my rest day so I will give y'all a break as well. Saturday is my second long run and I will be running with the Capital Striders. I am super stoked to find this group and know that it will help with the long run days!!!

Victory selfie!

Keep in mind when running, your mental state is what will make the run successful or not. Weather cannot control how you feel about a run. I had to push it hard today, especially on the last leg of the run when the wind was whipping that aweful mist in my face as if the sky was just spitting on me continuously. But I completed the trek and feel pretty darn good about today's run. I know it sounds super cheesy, but keeping a positive mindset is really, really important to training. My attempt in this blog is to be as transparent as I can be about the journey, so if this last portion sounds cliche, please know that it's really not, I'm just having a really good day. I'm sure I'll complain about something soon, so be on the look out. :-) Have a great day friends!!!