Day 9 - 4 miles

"Energy and persistence alter all things." - Benjamin Franklin

Miles Ran: 21 Dollars Raised: $150

I began my run today with a 45 minute nap with a heating pad around my hamstring, and here I am ending it with some ice (after a brief interruption when I spilled my entire glass of Crystal Light all over the floor while trying to multi-task on the computer.)

I could have very easily stayed in bed with the heating pad, but put on my hat and windbreaker and faced the rain with courage haha It was actually one of those rains (despite the wind and cold) that was more refreshing than annoying. I'm sure if it was coming down harder I would have been thoroughly pissed the entire time. And I'm also sure that there will be those runs along the way that I ask myself, "why the hell am I doing this?" but keep on truckin.

Today I really focused on my form after my coach was giving us some tips at the last training run. He said for women, you should try to keep your arms from swinging above your "jog bra" line, and have your hands as light as though you have a handful of butterflies. I had NO idea how much energy I was losing by pumping my arms all over the place, as if they were making my legs move faster or something. I really felt a lot more relaxed and smooth just by bringing my arms lower. Fascinating! Coach Rick also says "women carry the weight of the world on our shoulders", which is why we need to loosen up as much as possible. Ain't it the truth...