5 January 2008
Investments
Posted by Shelly under: Shelly Batterbee .
So I missed out on the rungazelle morning training today. I was so ready for it–had my gear all laid out last night and was looking forward to seeing my fellow warriors out there. But, alas, I did not make it. I woke up in the middle of the night–WIIIIDDDE awake. Stayed awake for about 4 hours. Do you know how frustrating that can be?? I eventually fell back to sleep, unfortunately sleeping right through my quiet alarm and not waking up until 7:55 a.m. I do appreciate the extra sleep, but I felt like I was back in college and having that nightmare about missing an exam–that’s how important this run was to me today!
Well, I did make it out for a run still. I ended up just running the trails and side roads in my area. I admit the solitude was nice, though I found that “side roads” don’t always mean “quiet roads.” And they certainly were not plowed roads. I should have waited about 3 more hours–I hit the trails when the freezing drizzle was coming down, making for some interesting strides! I’m sure I will feel like I got a bit of a core workout in by tomorrow–having to work hard during many moments there to keep my balance. I only saw three other people out this morning–and two of them had boots on for their trek. The other was a tall gentleman running in front of me several hundred yards. When he first came into my view, I thought maybe I was going at a better pace than I’d realized–catching up to someone. Ha! I soon realized he must have come out of a house somewhere along the road ahead–he was not in my sight for long! He also must have come out prepared with his YakTrax (a nifty invention of coils that you can strap onto the bottom of your shoe–they give you great traction on these snowy days–unfortunately I left mine at home!)–he was cruising!
So what does this all have to do with investments, you ask? On my run I was thinking of the joy of this sport–and how it really can be a very inexpensive sport (as I initially told my husband years ago when I started: “Really! All I need are some good shoes! That’s it! It’s a cheap sport, honey!”). And it certainly is compared to other sports–it’s something every single one of you out there can try with just a pair of shoes (ok, you should wear more than just shoes, but I think you know what I am getting at here).
But I was glad this morning to have had a few little extras I’ve picked up along the way:
*SmartWool socks–fabulous creation, those things. My feet stayed dry and warm on my entire 4 mile outing, even after having to dive into a snow bank to avoid a driver thinking he was really funny fishtailing near me.
*A good heart monitor–I finally have one with a cool little alarm to keep me in the lower zones during my training. Those lower zones keep me from going too fast, which hopefully will also keep me from getting too injured. :) This is my first year trying one of those–and I thank a fellow running mom and friend of mine for her advice on that–she has been running injury-free since incorporating this into her running, so she is a great inspiration to me!
*Wind-resistant and water-resistant pants and jacket. I am amazed with today’s clothing technology. I was only wearing three very thin layers total (and that included my jacket) and never felt chilled at all. No bulk at all. The pants I found recently at a Gazelle’s sale are my new favorites. Thanks to the two sales people there who both said as I was contemplating the purchase, “You will LOVE these.” I definitely do.
*And yes, YakTrax. I didn’t wear them, but normally I love those on a good winter run. You don’t feel them underfoot but they are there to keep you up.
I look at all those little things that make my runs a little more comfortable as a form of investment. If you read my first blog, you may remember that I am trying to make myself a priority this year and put my health up there on my to-do list. That can be such a difficult place to put yourself in. But being a little more comfortable with whatever form of exercise you are doing will make that workout more enjoyable. And that, in turn, will make you want to do it more. And that, of course, is how you show yourself and others that you value YOU. That’s a good investment to make. You can’t be there for others if you can’t be there for yourself.
So on that note–I’d like to give a little shout out of thanks to my husband. I realize running is not his thing, and he may not completely get why it is mine. But he has been supportive of the journey (even though he WAS one of those negative nellies telling me last year after being turned into a storm trooper with an aircast that maybe biking would be a better sport for me…), and he’s supportive of making me comfortable on this journey. It shows he is making an investment in me, which helps to keep me going on these runs.
See you on the trails.
2 Comments so far...
Bob Estes Says:
6 January 2008 at 9:05 pm.
Shelly, my wife reminds me that the investment in my running pays off as I am a healthier and happier Husband and Father. It’s great that your hubby supports you. May the force be with you - with or without the aircast!
Deb Says:
7 January 2008 at 8:43 am.
You’re doing great Shelly! It was so nice to see you at Reed’s Lake on Sunday! Gee, what cool gear. I think I need some of those YakTrax and a heart monitor would be great! Remember that you will be a better mom and wife if you take good care of yourself first. As a mother of six it took me way too long to learn this!