I suppose one lazy day wasn’t so bad after all; my legs spit out a 62-minute run in the sun today – it felt glorious… really really glorious. Sometimes I get caught up being a gym rat – I l.o.v.e. the WREC [Wildcat Rec Center] – more importantly, I like the eye candy – but my true hobby is running outside a la fresh air.
Since moving last August, I haven’t practiced my true hobby as much as I would like to. I miss my running partners a lot, and a 20-year-old girl [woman?] running by herself in an unfamiliar area isn’t always the smartest activity; hence, my frequency at The Resort. I couldn’t resist the blue skies today though, so I laced up my running shoes and hit the pavement. I avoided looking a my watch. Instead, I paid attention to how my body felt, my thoughts, the songs that trickled in my ears via my iPod, and the busy Saturday morning [graduation] traffic. An hour passed perfectly – not too slow, not too fast. I polished off my cardiovascular exercise with 10 minutes of weights and then put my sluggish day behind me.
“Running is a mental exercise with physical benefits.”
This quote sums up my relationship with running in its eight-word entirety. I’m not going to lie, I heart my abs legs of steel, but the peace of mind is what drives me to put one foot in front of the other.
Oh yeah… and I also run so I can pile up my plate with real food.
I finally roasted the bag of fingerlings I’d had in my cupboard for far too long with olive oil, whole garlic cloves, and fresh organic rosemary [35 minutes @ 375*]. I filled the rest of my plate to the brim with a pile of organic baby lettuce and avocado, olive oil & balsamic. Boring? Not exactly. Simple.
P.S. 0% Greek substitutes sour cream quite nicely.
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Why do you run… or not run?
I run because it gives me confidence. It makes me feel powerful, like I can take on the world!
I haven’t run for real since coming home…it’s driving me nuts. I can’t run here! Wish you were here to pull me along :)
I could not agree with that quote more! Wow. It’s just so entirely true.
That salad looks incredible, WOW!
I don’t run, but I walk. It’s like running, only slower, LOL. :D It’s very relaxing though.
Jenn
Great run! And I completely agree with that quote! It is very true!
I run because I love the feeling most I get from it afterward – relaxed, calm, energized, a sense of accomplishment. I also love sweating during and the strength that comes from each stride.
Your meal looks AMAZING! :-)
I would love to run and doing it outdoors sounds like heaven, but I have posterior compartment syndrome :(
I’ve tried to slowly get into it to see if my body can overcome it, but no luck. After 10 minutes of running I have to stop. The pain is too excruciating.
I love love love that quote! It’s so true, I run because it’s that form of exercise I just truly enjoy. I look forward to running outside in the sunshine, running with a friend or even doing intervals on the treadmill. There’s something so serene and simple about the motion, I don’t think I’ll ever get bored of it.
Ah that is such a great quote! And sooo true. I am fighting some serious mental battles with running right now but it’s helpful to remember why you run in the first place.
This quote is so so true!! I really struggle with the mental game of running — especially when I’m trying to add miles, like right now.
I run because I’m constantly amazed at how much more I can do each time. If you would’ve told me a couple months ago (when I was training for my first 5k) that I would run 5 miles, I would’ve laughed. This week my plan is to top out at 6 and then run my first 10k on Memorial Day. Who knows what comes next!!
GIRL! You have the Asics that I want!! I can tell by the green and blue coloring – I love that pair and I’ve been trying to find them and I can’t! Where did you get them??
And that run in the sun sounds amazing and relaxing! I don’t run because I have crazy knee problems, so I just do interval training, sprinting, jumping, biking, and lifting. Hopefully my knee problemos will go away so I can run again after college!
I love that quote. I run because it makes me feel so good physically and my accomplishments are good for me mentally.
Well, I don’t run right now because I never got into it and felt like I had to immediately be good at it, which I wasn’t and it discouraged me. After reading blogs and seeing new ways to approach running, I wanted to start picking it up…only to get pregnant and have to wait to pick it up. I am still working out regularly but it’s not a great idea to pick up new things. Better to keep doing what you were doing before pregnancy. I do look forward to giving it a shot though later. Glad you enjoyed a nice run though!
Great looking meal! I run because it is such a huge stress-reliever and I always feel better afterward!
I run to relax :o)
ooooh great looking eats!!
I run for how it makes me FEEL – both mentally and physically :)
I LOVE that quote! Do you know who said it? I think that describes running perfectly. One of my favorite things to do is to just go out and run for an hour (ish). It’s the perfect amount of time, especially when the weather is amazing.
I run because it’s my release and my escape. It helps me put my thoughts in order, and helps me feel my most alive. :) I get a greater sense of accomplishment from running than anything else. Plus, like you said, it’s a great excuse to eat lots of real food! ;)
I run because I am lucky enough to be able to! My bod has let me drag it through two half marathons and up countless mountains. Running tests me and makes me feel my best!