This 5k Across the Country “Thing”

It started out as just an idea to help keep me motivated to workout and run while traveling across country to our new duty station. I’ve been on enough road trips to know how lethargic being in a car all day makes me, and how the substantial lack of decent food options tends to make it worse. (It’s not impossible, but it is harder when you aren’t cooking your own food.)

Every morning I go through the same b.s. in my head, usually along these lines:
“Ugh. Damn Facebook! I should have never said anything about this stupid idea, then I could just lay here and sleep.”
“If I don’t go, I’m gonna look at those clothes I laid out and feel like crap cause I didn’t get it in.”
“It will give me some alone time.”
“We are in an airport business park. The running is gonna suck. There won’t be anything to look at.”
“I’ll just go to the fitness room in the hotel.”
“I loathe the dreadmill!”
“Ugh. Just go already!”
“Okay, I’ll go get dressed and grab some hotel breakfast and see how I feel.”

***Run***

“All is right with the world.”
“OMG! I love everyone!”
“I feel fantastic!”
“Nothing can’t stop me!”
“I did it!”
“Why the hell can’t I remember THIS feeling when I’m laying in bed arguing with myself!?”
“I’ve yet to regret a run!”

In my head, I live with two people: a sloth who would prefer sleep, massages, facials, and reading novels in a hot bath, and a fighter who keeps pushing, keeps redirecting, continues to set goals and persevere no matter what. Today the fighter needed some back up. After snoozing my alarm, the hubs rolled over and said,”You know you’ll feel better if you just go.”

Damn, I hate it when he’s right! But I kind of like it, too.

If I had given in to my inner sloth, I would have missed out on this:

In the middle of a business park, by the Kansas City International Airport, I run out of our hotel down a sidewalk that was so beat up it felt more like a trail run I saw a couple of other runners heading this way. I’m so glad I decided to run outside.