Clickin' My Heels (If I had the energy)

I am not going to lie I like pushing myself a little. I don't like to get stuck in a rut with my running or get to that point where I get burned out. I try to set goals for myself and I try to stick with them to the best of my ability. So, lately my mind has been drifting to hills. And it just so happens that I am reading Mile Markers by Kristin Armstrong and came to some chapters on hills that inspired me.

Here is just one:
http://milemarkers.runnersworld.com/2007/04/lovehate.html

Here is my favorite part:
"I want to be fit for hills…in running, in life. They often come, be it in a race or in everyday living, when we least expect them. We think we are giving it everything we have, and then WHOA, there it is, no way around it except to climb. I want to do these drills, to feel dimensions of this inflicted pain, until I have a 'muscle memory' of it – in my legs or in my heart. I want to have practiced enough, done the drills so many times, that when I am suddenly faced with a 'hill' of any proportion, I kick into auto-pilot. I want to do the right thing, and do it well, if for no other reason than because it is what I have been trained to do. In life, there is not time to dwell on accessing the hill. You just go because it is blocking your path. Sometimes you even have to be strong enough to carry others with you. Up and over." -Kristin Armstrong

(WOW, I wish I could put my feelings in to words like she can! If you get a chance, read her book, you won't be disappointed!)

Ok back to my story...

I started scoping out the areas around where I run at work and started driving out some possible routes. There is a killer hill no farther than .5 miles from my work. A nice gradual hill on the first mile, a long windy down hill, a couple gradual hills and then you turn around and come back....up that long windy down hill, that's now an uphill.

I kind of psyched myself up all day yesterday after I settled on the route I was going to run. Honestly I had a restless night of sleep just thinking of running it this morning, I even dreamed about it!

This route is a narrow two lane road so I ran without music just so I could hear cars and be aware, I don't completely trust that everyone pays attention while driving! And though I thought this route/run was going to be a hard one, it was the easiest run I have had in awhile. I felt SO good after the run of course, and really not too bad during it. And I guess I found out today that "if the situation requires it I can kick a little ass!"

If I had it in me at the end of the run I would have jumped in the air for a little heel click and a yahooskeee! (But I was gasping for breath and probably couldn't of lifted my feet that high)

Have a good safe weekend all! And don't be afraid of hills, make them your friends :)

Some famous race hills that make and break runners....that maybe I will see someday!

Heartbreak Hill, Boston (right past the 20th mile! What a time for a hill!)

Hayes Street Hill, San Francisco (at the 2 mile mark, what a killer start!)


Doomsday Hill, Washington (4.75 miles in)