Never Say Never

One of my favorite reasons for running has always been "You never return from a run feeling worse than when you left". I may leave for a run moaning and groaning, and I'll whine the whole way through it, but typically when I return, I'm happy I did it.

Until Saturday.

Ted, Dave, and I went to Sea Isle City for the weekend. Saturday morning we were scheduled for a measly 5 miles. Dave was doing the 10-mile island run, so Ted and I got up early to get our mileage in before he was awake. I wanted to wake up at 7:00 and go.

We got up at 8:30.

At 8:30, the sun was already high and hot. But it was 5 miles. We have done that recently, we have gone farther than that recently. It shouldn't have been a problem, or even a hindrance. And I could eat all my boardwalk food that night guilt free.

Let me say, I have NEVER loathed a run so much in my life.

The route I had planned had us leaving the house, turning right and running 9 blocks down to 69th Street, then up to Central, back to 29th, then up the boardwalk to the house. And it's flat in New Jersey. It shouldn't be a problem.

I think I would rather be running on a treadmill.

At least a treadmill would have been in a climate-controlled area. I'm used to running routes where you just go. Running in Sea Isle--every street is marked. So you see the street signs slowly counting down--69th. 68th. 67th. The. Whole. Way. To. 29th.

We made it back. We walked and allowed ourselves that luxury to help get through it. The boardwalk was a little better...more to look at, the ocean is lovely, however, there are many more people in much better shape than I out at that time, also running, and looking like they've never broken a sweat in their life. Meanwhile, I'm huffing along, barely picking my feet up, soaked from sweat and water I've dumped all over myself.

And all for five miles.

Even when we returned to the house, I wasn't happy I did that. Half an hour later, I was still thinking how miserable it was and how it would have been great to just relax on the beach for that time.

So I was a bit jaded from my old philosophy of "You never return from a run feeling worse than when you left."

The only bit of joy I had from that run? Filling it in on the run log. So, when all else fails, the run log is there, holding you accountable.