...please start... please start...

6:20am.  The time my alarm clock rang this morning.  It's sunday. sigh.  I must really love running :)

I haven't run with my group since August, but I've seen them a few times to indulge in bad food and drinks after celebrating races.  I missed running with them, but have to admit that it's been nice sleeping in on sunday mornings!  I woke up a bit earlier though just in case.  

In case of what?  My *$&%(*@$ car.  

I think it's trying to suggest we move to a warmer climate; it's cold out, and my car won't start below a certain temp, and it's not even really winter yet!!! I need to take it back to the dealership at some point to see what's going on, but I was a bit nervous as I opened the door, and felt the cold air immediately... so as I walked to the car, I chanted please start... please start.

I really didn't want to sit in my driveway after waking up so early, crying in the drivers' seat, in the darkness of the morning, before 7am, hitting the steering wheel, begging an inanimate object to function properly.

My chant didn't work.  So I sat, pissed off, determined to make it on time, while thinking how thankful I am to work at home now, cuz I'd probably be late for work everyday during the winter months!  10 minutes later, almost frustrated, I opened the car door, started my way back to the house to see when Jay would be leaving for hockey and maybe get a boost, but for some reason I went back to the car to get something.  While there, I tried the key one more time, and finally!  It worked! Did it feel threatened that I walked away, and knew I was going to "tattle?"  lol

So by the time I got to the community center, I was right on time.  Their plan, 29k, which turned into 23k after a bit of discussion due to route changes, and many having other commitments this afternoon; my plan, 50 minutes (which i realized only afterwards.  I've had it in my head all week that I was scheduled for 55 minutes, which is next sunday's schedule... the last day of the plan).

Beginning of their 23k route was an out 'n back before turning off in another direction, which worked out perfectly because the turn-around point was my halfway mark!  I had a nice easy, conversational pace, while chatting away with someone who joined the group while I was out with my injury. Turns out he's a chiropractor... so we were talking about my stress fractures, the issues with my shoes/orthotics from this spring, the medications I was on, and the bone density test I just did last week.  I started explaining my efforts in changing my gait, trying to land with my forefoot rather than heel-striking etc, hoping to avoid further injury.

Opinions are as unique as individuals; it's quite amazing, and I fully respect it... but he disagreed with me. He said that while walking, your natural step is to land on the heel and roll forward, running should be the same, this is how he's been taught. Meanwhile, it was my chiropractor and another in his office that showed me the video on the Pose method in their office, and have now lent me the dvd's, which I'm reviewing. 

I think that the important thing is finding what works for me, and you figure out what's right for you, and you and even you; it may be different for each one of us, there really probably is no wrong or right.

So back to my run, finished 8.82k in 55:54, my longest run since my return. I stretched out, added some layers before getting a chill, and drove home to get ready for a friend's 3 yr old's birthday party.

I also got a reply back from the Pose Instructor which I emailed a few weeks ago... seems that my last email to her got lost in the shuffle, but it turns out that she would make time for me on a weekend, and lives close by! So hoping that we can figure out a time to meet soon just to make sure I'm on the right track.

That's it for me today, have a great week!