...I'm slowly reaching the end of the teaching year. It's funny to think that at this time last year I was packing up and getting ready to leave Charlotte. I wasn't sure what to expect, I wasn't sure if I was really going to be doing the things I had been doing forever (running). In a literal sense this was a big move. I moved over four hundred miles, seven hours north, to a new city. But it was also a sense of moving on figuratively. It hadn't been easy for me for a the last two years in Charlotte, and mostly it was of my own doing. I have to say that things have improved for the better. But this wasn't some sort of move where I radically changed my persona and changed my outlook. Actually I still do the same things that I have been doing. I still run, and do so in a predictable manner. I've traded in McMullen for Rock Creek. I get my hair cut short and then grow it out.
There are still things to think about...
On Friday will be my last day at work, and it's going to be sad because I'll be saying good bye to all the fabulous people that I have worked with. There have been times when I have been transfixed on someone teaching and when they ask a question, I have had to stop myself from shouting out the answer. That's something that I aspire to, to have that way you carry yourself. I feel that very slowly it's come in running. Working with all these sets of different individuals has made me realize how lucky I am to be with people who are passionate about what they do. It's been an eye opening experience, and I hope that what I can continue to do what this for years to come.
(file under #humblebrag) I think it was in June. I think it was the last run I did at McAlpine (and still the last run there) when I was talking to Billy. We were talking about when I would come back to visit Charlotte. I really wasn't sure, but was hopeful of running the marathon in November. I don't think I had thought about it that much, and wasn't really sure if I was going to do it. I think I just threw it out there. I had no idea if I was really going to do. I remember when I signed my contract and saw that the hours were from 7:15 to 5:15 that running was either going to happen in the early morning or not at all. I was going to see if I was really dedicated and determined to see if I could do this. I signed up for the marathon on the last day of July and knew that this was going down. I had the advantage of sleeping in my parents house and getting the traditional Harris Teeter meal that I always eat before a race, but other than that I wasn't that prepared.
Fast forward through the weeks. When I realized that with my work schedule workouts would happen on the weekend. That I needed to focus on long runs. I went into the marathon literally not knowing what I could run. I told Lamperski that it could be in the range of 2:40 to 3:10 and that I was serious. I remember running the first mile and thinking, I can't believe I'm really doing this. Not really understanding the seriousness of it all. Of course it helped that once I locked in. It also helped that I had so much support out there on the course. That really made the day. I have to think after the race. I went back to work and just went about my business. I told people that I did ok, not telling time and place. When the vice principal was told how I did by my sister, she mentioned to the other co teachers at a meeting. It felt a little weird to have all that attention on me. But you know what I'm proud of myself for that race. I went out and ran a distance that I hadn't done in forever and achieved a time that made it ok. Sure I didn't run that well, but it was good. It took me a long time to get over the race, but I feel that it got me to where I need to go. And the Vermont Marathon, well to be honest I don't think I need to spill anymore words on that race. The words are there. I did enjoy the one email I got that said it was a good twenty minute read (#humblebrag2). It is what it is.
For my summer plans it's not that clear. I'll be back in Charlotte for a week. I'll try my hand at the summer track series and hope to run under five minutes in the mile. Run the Summer Breeze 5k for the first time since 2007 (I think) and then after that I'm not sure. I would really like to take a cross country trip. I have this idea of just going to a place, finding the nearest camp site, plunking down and sleeping in a sleeping bag there. Then getting up, running for two hours, and then driving seven or eight hours and repeating the process again. That's the goal.
Of course I'm still undecided about running a fall marathon. I feel that in the two weeks since Vermont that I haven't had any serious setbacks like I did after Charlotte. I actually feel stronger and fit. I still consider the race to be a fluke with so many things happening that have never happened before. I guess if I am going to run a fall marathon, then it's going to be Charlotte. And the reason in really simple. It's the roads that I know, it's the familiar feeling I get when I run the course, and it's people that are on the course shouting encouraging words (whether they really mean it our not). I guess I have till August to make that decision, so I have plenty of time to see where my body is and how my mind is.
With all these things in my mind, it will be an interesting summer to say the least. I would really like to get back on this blog. It's really slacking and not where it could be. I know that I started things off strong, but have gotten slack. So I'll have to give it a go. Other than that things are about the same. I haven't shaved since Vermont and haven't had a hair cut in six months. So I guess things don't really change.
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