Sunday, July 26, 2009

WHO IS this woman and WHERE did she go??

I had the funkiest running week. I have always LOVED running. What happend???!!!?? Somewhere in there I woke up and just didn't want to go. Just wanted to sleep in. Then had to like MAKE myself get my 18 miler arranged (don't like to be in the canyon by myself for that far at that time alone). Vanessa and Lori went with me---we are all at different paces, but we at least knew we'd be somewhere close to each other on the trail. We started out at an 8 mile pace...too fast for me to maintain, but felt good for a few miles...this is poor Lori's first time going this far and she is running about an 11 minute pace. I'm at 9:30 and who knows how dang fast Vanessa is...8:30?? By mile 5 we have separated and Vanessa is flitting back and forth between the two of us running ahead and then behind getting tons of extra mileage. When I say "flitting"--I mean like a GRACEFUL GAZELLE...it was truly something to watch. She just kind of danced down the trail making it look so EASY and FUN. That use to be me. I wasn't feeling it. I felt DONE. My head started trash talking me and by the time I was at about 12 I was totally mystified as to HOW I had EVER run marathons before?? 18 miles is so freaking long!?! WHO and WHY would ANYONE ever even consider such a ludicris thing? I even went through the whole "I must not have eaten enough, do I need more water? Have I HIT the WALL?" but no...my BODY still felt FINE...I finished the run, went to Rapier's pool, then got in our hot tub, then spent the day working pretty physically helping the Bean's lay their new paver patio...and the feeling still hasn't left. It's the morning after and I don't have any aches or pains...just this huge void in running love. Seriously...what the heck IS THIS?? And WHY HAVE I felt the desire to be so extreme?
To top it all off...Don comes home from the bike ride of his life having taken MY IPOD and listened to Norman Vincent Peale "You are what you think" and then tells me how much further and harder and better he was able to go while listening to such an inspiring and hope filling talk.
I know that stuff. What happend to me? Why is it still gone...how do I get BACK to WANTING to love it...a little scared this morning after. Truly even wondering WHY I signed up for the marathon and IF I'll run it. I mean I will run it cause I paid the money and if I didn't I'd feel ...WHAT WOULD I FEEL???? Geeeezzzzzzz.....

8 comments:

Heather said...
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vie said...

Hmmm... I felt the desire to comment here. I seem to remember a certain conversation you and I had about running while swinging on our porch about 4 years ago-ish. I said, "Natalie. You are crazy. Why do you get up at 4 am and go run miles and miles every morning? That sounds a bit like torture." And you said, "Because I LOVE it. I LIVE FOR it. And I CRAVE it."

Here's a CRAZY thought (try not to fall off your seat here): Humans change?

I am willing to bet that there are at least a few other things that can make you as exquisitely happy as running used to. Maybe not. Maybe you will wake up tomorrow and love it even more than before this little break! Maybe not. Maybe your lack of run-love will lead you to discover something else? Maybe not. But if it's not making you happy NOW (which is all that really counts, right?) then I say QUIT! You used to run because it was LOVE, not because you SHOULD. As bub always says, "Don't should on yourself."

Forget about the fee.... not worth it if it will be a day of anxiety and pain. Live in the moment... that's what I say. Plus you already have how many marathons under your belt now? I think you have enough bragging rights to last your whole life plus more.

Whatever you choose, you always have backup. We LOVE you! I LOVE you! And if my mom ever dies, I'm coming over to adopt you. :)

Heather said...
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Natalie Harris said...

Kristen...I LOVE YOU with my whole soul....Thanks...

Jeremi said...

Hey Natalie,
I get that way with my sports at time. I make myself get up and go anyway because I know I can use the exercise. It comes and goes for me. The times when I feel the most unmotivated are when I have too many other things going on and I'm just worn down mentally. Have you noticed anything like that!

cam-ron said...

Sometimes I go through periods like this and look back and think what happened but it always comes back eventually. Sometimes in a different form but the passion comes back.

Becky said...
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Becky said...

Ok, girl. When is our next run?