Oh I Just Can't Get Enough

When I am not running I am usually thinking about running in some form or another. I have planned the vast majority of the last 18 years around easy runs, races, workouts, core, and watching others run.  I work in run specialty as a manager of a shoe store, so my day looks like this most of the time.  Wake up, breakfast, run, work in a running shop, get to talk to others about running, lunch, talk to my co-workers about their running, run again, dinner, hangout with Ryan or my running buddies, and get to bed so I can get up and feel good (or as good as possible) for my next run.

My dreams even look a lot like this some nights!

When I am sitting around doing "nothing" I am usually blogging about running, looking up races, reading coaching material, working on plans for the athletes I coach, reading other running material like race results, season polls, or other runners blogs, and looking over the years of data I have collected.  I have kept a running log since I started running when I was 12, so I can compare my current fitness to the past and I often do.  Some people think it is overkill, too much, and would make them hate running.  But not me it makes me love it more, get more excited about the community I am around as a runner, and excited about upcoming races.  I have a pretty single minded focus on running.

I love having my life filled with running!  I enjoy learning through others running and being a part of other peoples journey toward their goals.  It doesn't matter if they want to run for fitness or become an Olympian, I love it. Yes I am a bit of a dork and the number side of running appeals to me a lot.  I enjoy looking at workouts and hypothesizing what that means for my athletes, friends and my own upcoming races. I even go as far as to secretly write down times I believe people will race and get giddy when I am close!  I love it. I play fantasy track and field with myself, and when I guessed the outcome of the women's MAC meet in 2008 within .5 points for every team (there was a HJ tie I didn't account for) I proudly posted my three pages of calculations on my bedroom door for my roommates to see.  Yep I am a running nerd.  It doesn't overwhelm me, it fans the flame to make me want to do more to see what can happen if you, me, or anyone pushes their limits and gets rid of the doubt and just goes for it.  It makes me want to dream bigger, train harder, recover more effectively (a little less going out wouldn't be a bad decision on my part), and put my nose to the grinding stone daily to see what I am capable of. Our limits as athletes give us chances, and for me chances are the fascination.  Even writing this got me a little excited for my tempo tomorrow! haha! The fact is I JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH!

Ry and I racing this summer.