Running On Empty

I've been too tired to sit down at baseball games and riding competitions.

I have to keep moving or the constant buzzing behind my barely open eyes will overwhelm me.

I 'll fall asleep if I stop.

And so I'm running around the outfield Friday evening with Ian during the twins' last T-ball game of the season (really, you can do that in T-ball!), thinking, sleep from 8 to 8.    12 hours.  I am sick.  I can skip weights tomorrow.  Allergies.  Running on empty.

And Bobbi texts me asking if she should swing by my place tomorrow morning (Saturday) at 6 AM to go to the weekly North Lakes 5 km park run.

 Jetty to Jetty with Bobbi and Fran, July 2012

Really, with friends like these, who needs enemies?

Then the My Pretty Pony download fiasco and I am up until 1:30 AM downloading photos.

But I'm in the car, next to Bobbi, at 6 AM sharp, on the way to pick up Nicole, crazy person number three.  And join about 100 other crazy people running around the lake.  Three times.  Really fast as it turns out.  If I'd looked at the stats before I ran I would have been intimidated.  The average run time is just under 29 minutes.  The male record is 16.57 and the female 18.39.

PwC Run in Brisbane, with Nicole, November 2012

"We all run for our own enjoyment.  Please come and join in whatever your pace!"  (This from the website  www.parkrun.com.au  )

"And uh, we're all over at Lakeside Cafe having coffee afterwards.  Although we might all be done by the time you get there!"  (Liberally paraphrased from the website.)

I broke my personal best with 34.57 seconds (listen, you try doing that packing 10 extra kgs!!) and was still one of the last ones it.  Barely behind the two 12 year old girls.  I think I can take em next time.  Ah heck, who am I kidding?

It helped that runner number one - who did it in 18 minutes, lapped me starting his round three while I was starting round two.  And about ten others followed in rapid succession after that.  I thought about trying to convince the end judges I really HAD run three laps after my first two, but they weren't buying it.  I think those 12 year olds ratted me out. 

Celebrating those first 5 kms, July 2012

The folks I recognised from the gym were marathoners. 

Where the heck are all the fat, frumpy housewives at 7 AM?

In any case I loved it.   I kept waiting for Bobbi to lap me and grab my bottom as she ran by, but no such luck.  Guess I am just too speedy!

I love being pushed, I love pushing myself.  I love setting my own goals.  Goals such as, don't let more than ten people lap you next week either, stay under 35 minutes, and stop being so nice to those 12 year olds when they slow down to walk.  Because they come up fast from behind on that final lap!

I AM running on empty lately and I worry about how long that can go on.  But I am trying to stay open to the idea that this fast-paced term was just a phase and that the balance will find itself soon. 

I have been trying to convince myself to set lower goals, that I only run to compete and prove I can do it, or to lose weight and look better, that I should just stick to 2 and 3 kms with Andrew (who is on the cross-country team next term along with soccer and choir and after-school soccer and travel teams - uh yeah, things will slow down soon, really they will!).

Coming to cheer on Mom!

But I love knowing what my body can do, even if it doesn't look the way I'd like it to.

I started running to lose weight, and to be lean, but I run now to be fit and because I love that I can.

I'm running on empty, but I'm running with friends.

We all gotta keep moving anyway, because we'd fall asleep if we slowed down!