Penance

Penance can be defined as voluntary self-punishment inflicted as an outward expression of repentance for having done wrong.

It wasn't wrong to walk yesterday's planned run, But I decided I needed to try again today.

Since yesterday's planned run was on the Valley Forge loop I decided to use the Media 5 Mile course. It's the closest thing I have to the hills of Valley Forge without having to drive anywhere. I'm pleased to say I finished but it was anything but pretty.

The Media 5 mile course is 2 - 2.5 mile circuits. I have a hard time calling them loops since they are made up of turns on town streets. My plan was to walk from my house to 8th and Jackson and begin my timer. 1 minute walk then continue down Jackson; left on 6th; right on Edegmont; left on 2nd; right on Haldeman; right on Front to Media Elementary is one mile. Another minute walk then left on Monroe; right on State; right on West; right on Front; left on Olive to mile 2 at 2nd and Olive; 1 minute walk then continue on Olive to right on 8th to Jackson. (Repeat).

I walked again at 8th and Jackson partly because I didn't want to calculate and remember where mile 3 and 4 where AND (probably more so) it was a reward for conquering 8th street. I have a love/hate relationship going on with that hill. It loves to torment me and I hate it. I do it because "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger"? And I'm not dead................yet :)

I'm happy and proud to say I finished the miles, but as I mentioned earlier it was not pretty. Very quickly into the run I felt like I was being choked by my base layer. I've been wearing it all winter and it's been fine. Why today? The temperature was warmer than yesterday but still cold enough to need it. I spent most of the first mile being annoyed by it. I finally decided it was because I signed up for the race on Friday. It wasn't the shirt that was bothering me it was the realization that I'm really doing this. The 'pressure' to actually do it is real now. The shirt collar bothered me a little less after I self talked myself out of being bothered by it. The self talk went along the lines of "I do not want to fail at this event but it's ok if I do and oh by the way at 5 miles you are more than 1/3 of the way to race day total".

Other self talk today included "No one expects you to be fast except you sometimes, so knock it off". This while I was trudging up one of the hills and wondering if I should even bother trying to run up the hill.

I have to admit to cheating on the walk breaks a today. After the first one they were more like 1.5 minutes. And I did bail on the second attempt up the hill on Front Street between West and the Bar Association building. But, and this is a HUGE but, --- I nailed 8th Street ---- twice!! And for that I thank anyone who is reading this. I really wanted to be able to tell you that I did.

Keep smiling and keep moving
-Paula

When Mother Nature Hurts .... You Walk

Not my footprints. 

Or at least I do. When I left the house this morning it was 12 degrees. When I arrived at Valley Forge it was 13 and the hourly forecast predicted 20 by the time I completed my (planned) 5 mile run around the loop. I had 4 layers on top; 2 on the bottom; and 2 on my hands and head. I forgot to goop up my face or bring a scarf. Either one would have made a difference.

I set out planning to stick to 1 minute walk and finish the mile running. It became evident very quickly that that was not going to work. I switched to 1 minute walk; 2 minute run. Still it was too cold. As slow as I am, the running portion put just enough breeze on my face that it hurt. It really hurt. I tried shrugging my face into the collar of my outer layer. I tried covering my face with my gloved hands. Neither was conducive to successful running (especially on top of the snow). The gloved hands on my face also fogged up my sunglasses.

I thought about turning around and going home. I was less than a half mile into the distance. Instead I decided to walk the loop. I know that sounds like an even worse idea, right? Walking would leave me out doors longer. But the sun was shining and while walking I could keep my face covered by my hands or collar as needed.

I can not begin to describe how beautiful it was. I took some photos but truly they do not do the views justice. At one point the sun was at just the right angle and brightness that the snow sparkled. It looked like someone had dropped little diamonds across my path.

And did I mention it was cold? I found myself looking out across the fields wondering how cold was

Mt Joy in the distance with Wayne's Woods at my back

it in that Winter of 1777. It was cold enough in 2019 to keep most (sane) people off the trail that early. I had the loop to myself for the first hour. It was so quiet I could hear the train whistle in the distance in between the squishing of the snow under my feet.

I'm sorry that I didn't run as planned. Yet I would have missed all the details if I had been concentrating on running. The "slow-build-up-the-miles-plan" I'm on leaves plenty of wiggle room for days like this and I'm especially grateful for that today.