one of those types of days...

Running can be joyous. Or despicable.
I experience both of these emotions and a mix of in-beween while training for endurance events.
For instance, I went on an urban mix of sidewalks/trails, last week and felt confident in my ability. A little hungover, but mostly able to run through it.
On Friday, I convinced myself that I must go. The Horsetooth 1/2 is a month away. There is urgency to begin running. I woke up, stretched, put on my visor and other necessary must have items--ipod, watch, sunblock and headed out. Immediately, I knew that it would be a fail type of day. I told myself it would be okay since I would go longer on Saturday. Isn't Friday normally my "rest" day? No wonder I was experiencing issues.
Saturday, the run was definitely more pure and consistent. I wasn't hating the experience and overall, the run went extremely well. I felt normal--joyful, even. I felt that my training was back on track.
Today, I headed out after discovering how much phlegm I could get rid of in one cough up. Unimpressed with that fact, I talked myself into going regardless of the residual cold that I was battling. Last week, I felt it creep up. Until today, I have managed to block it out of my thoughts. Today, it became unavoidable. I definitely have a cold.
The run was trying. First, I had phlegm issues.
Then, I felt shin splints--a little. I tried to focus on the music. I have a random mix of Kanye West, OutKast, Atmosphere and other rap inspired artists. Normally, I can focus on the beat and ran through whatever is holding me back, mentally.
Not today. Kanye West worked. From there, I suffered through the Atmosphere list. A friend of mine burned a cd for me when I was training for the Denver Marathon. He said that this cd always motivated him. It was a guarantee.
For me, not so much.
Skip.
Skip.
Skip.
Stop. How long have I been going?
F^*k--not long enough. The next song is.....skip. Not working. Keep running.
Finally, Baby Got Back. Yes, I can run to this....it reminds me of my friend, Hailey. She loves this song. I think it played at her wedding. Yep. I can run. I am running.
Next song...skip. Why can I not find a suitable song?
This monologue continued in my head for about 45 minutes. Fun stuff, right?
Tomorrow is definitely a new day and I am planning on running a different route to be more successful. I will rest. Avoid alcohol and get a great night of sleep. Smile and have a positive outlook on running. Remembering that some people are so caught up in career, family, etc., to never be able to experience this joy. Thankfully, tomorrow is a new day. And, I got out there. Being out there is definitely preferred over just thinking about it....