PAIN

Pain. My body hurts. My muscles have that good hurt you get after you've worked out or rather when you've done a few too many squats and it hurts to sit and pee. I'm trying to run a lot of hills and train for the elevation. The hubby and I will be running a 10-k race in the mountains of COLORADO. We will be up against the elements: heat, hills, and the lack of oxygen you get when doing anything in the Rockies.

A few years ago, the hubby and I flew out to Steamboat Springs, CO for a vacation.

While there, we were feeling ambitious to take in the beauty of the mountains through

the leisure activity of mountain biking. We hopped on the two- wheeled transportation and went racing down the side of the mountain we were staying on, noticing it wasn't as easy to breathe with no effort, but didn't pay it much mind. However, on our way into town for breakfast on the bikes we did exert a little more energy and noticed how DIFFICULT it was to catch our breath. Neither part of our winded excursion compared to that of trying to make it back up the mountain to get home. It was as though we were trying to breathe through non-exsistent fish lungs in the Sahara Desert. So with this memory still so vivid, I'm now questioning my idea to run a 6.2 mile race during the middle of the summer (July 3) in the same location and elevation. Oh well, the registrations are already paid for, so we are doing it! This is why my body is in such pain now- hoping it will deliver a less painful/ more successful finish in July!

Right now I am dealing with a less envious type of pain: Blisters! My feet are full of them. I know- GROSS- Right? But it is the price of so many miles. If I am determined to reach this 2010 mile goal, I have to run through the pain. The blisters started about 3 days ago. I can't say that they have been getting worse, but they sure aren't getting any better. I know it is weird, but I am hoping they turn into calluses soon. This has to be a metaphor for something- having painful blisters that you work through /in spite of only to be come hard and stronger so you can no longer feel the pain. (ooh, that's good!) I guess I am destined to become a stronger runner and the blisters are just one stage I have to go through :) Well I have to get back out on the road and I have at least 7 miles to go before I sleep.

P.S.- I hit 7.75 miles!!