Hill runs are the worst. Combine the steep inclines with whipping Kansas winds, my slow pace, and an imperfect center of gravity and I might as well be running in place. So why in the world did I just sign up for a half marathon called “Hospital Hill?”
There’s actually a simple answer for this – runner’s are crazy. *crickets* No one is going to argue with me on that? Alright then, let’s move on.
The truth is, running is one of those things that, when you do it consistently, you slowly and surely get better over time. More importantly, it’s quantifiable and measurable which, as a researcher, I eat right up. The best thing about running is that I start most days with a specific and attainable goal, then I achieve it. What a way to start the day! I guess that doesn’t make me crazy so much as “goal-oriented.”
Back to why I signed up for a race that I know is going to be hard, trying, and will likely take me longer than my last races. Someone told me last week that the marathon I signed up for later this year is a pretty hilly course and can be physically and mentally tough for a first time marathoner. After I dropped to the ground yelling to the sky, “What have I gotten myself into!!!”, which I seem to echo daily in one way or another, I came to my senses and realized that when the going gets tough, the tough has to haul themselves uphill for 13.1 miles before they have to haul themselves uphill for 26.2 in a few months.
So now, my weekly hill runs have taken on new importance in my training plan. That has not stopped me from successfully procrastinating on today’s hill run while I sit here slowly typing out…each…word…of…this…blog.
I guess it’s time to head out there. At least there is one good thing about running up hills. What goes up, must come down.
Eat Fast. Run Slow. 