As the year is moving along (holy crap, swimming season starts tomorrow!) I'm incorporating more and more early morning runs back into the routine. For anyone who's been reading for a while it's no secret that I often wake up at 4:30am to hit the streets (or snap into the pedals) to get my workouts in while the motivation is still there.
At any rate, I've never been fearful of anything more than a car cutting it a little close on the shoulder or a deer stampeding me in the dark of the morning, but ever since Halloween I've been running to a different tune. I am naturally a scared person. I scare easily, I don't like scary movies, and I think of the worst scenarios in my head when I'm alone. I know this about myself though and won't watch scary movies for that reason (which is why I've been able to run like a naive 8 year old through the dark streets in the early morning). Unfortunately for me, I caught a few too many scenes of the movie Halloween while at my boyfriend's abode. Although that movie is about a crazy psychopath who evidently 'never runs' after his victims, I still can't help but be scared now EVERY TIME I go out for a run in the morning. It's now been at least 3 weeks of running and I can't stop it. Things I think of when I run and am scared:
"OMG, that car sitting in that parking lot has it's lights on and they're totally following me, I'm turning my headlamp off (nerd alert) so they can't follow me and kill me and leave me dead in a ditch." - This internal dialogue actually happened.
"That's totally not a scarecrow, it's Mike Myers himself and once I run past he's going to come get me, and leave me dead in a ditch." - Again, another truism
"I think I hear feet behind me."
"That man is walking his dog, but it's a ploy because he's probably been stalking my workout schedule to see when/where I run in the morning." - Truth. I very much feel like there could be the possibility of someone stalking me and figuring out my schedule before they come in for the kill.
"There is someone waiting for me in that car and is going to open the door as I run by to render me useless and then will drag me away to leave me in a ditch." - Seriously, there was a creepy car pulled over on the road at 5am. I ran to the other side of the road on my loop back.
"Someone is going to pop out of that field hockey goal/dark scary shed at the back of the track and kill me." - Truth. I now spend every track workout darting my gaze from place to place around the back of the school because I'm so paranoid about what's 'lurking' in the shadows. Could be why my track workouts have seemed to go by so fast.
To answer a couple questions: No there aren't many ditches in my town. And I have no idea why I have a sick fascination with them.
I realize I have serious problems, but I'm just hoping that soon enough I'll be back to my regular old self with running in the morning, because it's only getting darker longer now and I can't change my schedule because I'm scared of the dark!
I'm still gearing up for the Philadelphia marathon (5 days) and am getting really excited, but also really excited for it to be done and over. It's a weird feeling, but I suppose that's the nature of the beast of losing motivation. I've talked with my coach about it and we've devised a plan for a good part of winter which I'm excited/anxious for, but it's all for the best. More details later.
Next item on the agenda is a question of what to wear for marathon Sunday. I've got two choices of shirts (I bought the same personalized shirt in two different colors) and will probably pair with Lulu run shorts, compression socks, and arm warmers. Typical go-to November running gear. I need help on the shirt front of the outfit. The back says "Mo" with the number 64 (I'll let ya'll in on my numbers obsession later). The grey is a bit darker than I thought so it might be hard to read, but at the same time both of them say "Yasi" a bit smaller than I had hoped.
I took my boyfriend up to West Dover, Vermont this past weekend for his birthday and we had a grand old time. I couldn't help but think of all the awesome biking that could be done out there too. It really made me think of and miss California and the GWL I did this summer. We also ran on some tough mountain biking trails one day and it felt great as we were grazed with some snow along the way. All in all, a great weekend.
On that note, it's time for bed. I've got an early morning run in which I'll probably replay ALL of the above scenarios out in my head since I thought about every possible one now. Swim season starts tomorrow, along with my field hockey end-of-season banquet at night. A busy week leading into marathon Sunday that's for sure, but after the M, it's only a 2.5 day workweek and then it's time to show thanks.
At any rate, I've never been fearful of anything more than a car cutting it a little close on the shoulder or a deer stampeding me in the dark of the morning, but ever since Halloween I've been running to a different tune. I am naturally a scared person. I scare easily, I don't like scary movies, and I think of the worst scenarios in my head when I'm alone. I know this about myself though and won't watch scary movies for that reason (which is why I've been able to run like a naive 8 year old through the dark streets in the early morning). Unfortunately for me, I caught a few too many scenes of the movie Halloween while at my boyfriend's abode. Although that movie is about a crazy psychopath who evidently 'never runs' after his victims, I still can't help but be scared now EVERY TIME I go out for a run in the morning. It's now been at least 3 weeks of running and I can't stop it. Things I think of when I run and am scared:
"OMG, that car sitting in that parking lot has it's lights on and they're totally following me, I'm turning my headlamp off (nerd alert) so they can't follow me and kill me and leave me dead in a ditch." - This internal dialogue actually happened.
"That's totally not a scarecrow, it's Mike Myers himself and once I run past he's going to come get me, and leave me dead in a ditch." - Again, another truism
"I think I hear feet behind me."
"That man is walking his dog, but it's a ploy because he's probably been stalking my workout schedule to see when/where I run in the morning." - Truth. I very much feel like there could be the possibility of someone stalking me and figuring out my schedule before they come in for the kill.
"There is someone waiting for me in that car and is going to open the door as I run by to render me useless and then will drag me away to leave me in a ditch." - Seriously, there was a creepy car pulled over on the road at 5am. I ran to the other side of the road on my loop back.
"Someone is going to pop out of that field hockey goal/dark scary shed at the back of the track and kill me." - Truth. I now spend every track workout darting my gaze from place to place around the back of the school because I'm so paranoid about what's 'lurking' in the shadows. Could be why my track workouts have seemed to go by so fast.
To answer a couple questions: No there aren't many ditches in my town. And I have no idea why I have a sick fascination with them.
I realize I have serious problems, but I'm just hoping that soon enough I'll be back to my regular old self with running in the morning, because it's only getting darker longer now and I can't change my schedule because I'm scared of the dark!
I'm still gearing up for the Philadelphia marathon (5 days) and am getting really excited, but also really excited for it to be done and over. It's a weird feeling, but I suppose that's the nature of the beast of losing motivation. I've talked with my coach about it and we've devised a plan for a good part of winter which I'm excited/anxious for, but it's all for the best. More details later.
Next item on the agenda is a question of what to wear for marathon Sunday. I've got two choices of shirts (I bought the same personalized shirt in two different colors) and will probably pair with Lulu run shorts, compression socks, and arm warmers. Typical go-to November running gear. I need help on the shirt front of the outfit. The back says "Mo" with the number 64 (I'll let ya'll in on my numbers obsession later). The grey is a bit darker than I thought so it might be hard to read, but at the same time both of them say "Yasi" a bit smaller than I had hoped.
A few pictures to round out the post.
Can you guess what the ladies and 1 gentleman from the Social Studies department decided to dress up as for Halloween? Hint: It's from the '80s.
I took my boyfriend up to West Dover, Vermont this past weekend for his birthday and we had a grand old time. I couldn't help but think of all the awesome biking that could be done out there too. It really made me think of and miss California and the GWL I did this summer. We also ran on some tough mountain biking trails one day and it felt great as we were grazed with some snow along the way. All in all, a great weekend.
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| Holy fun downhill! |
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| 9am is not a good look for me. |
On that note, it's time for bed. I've got an early morning run in which I'll probably replay ALL of the above scenarios out in my head since I thought about every possible one now. Swim season starts tomorrow, along with my field hockey end-of-season banquet at night. A busy week leading into marathon Sunday that's for sure, but after the M, it's only a 2.5 day workweek and then it's time to show thanks.
4 comment(s):
I don't watch scary movies, and I play those same scenarios in my head when running in the dark--especially the one where the (faux) dog walker has been watching me and has figured out my morning routine/routes. I constantly change my route so this doesn't happen. Really! That's what a scaredy dork I am!
Glad VT was awesome.
You crack me up - I just pretend I am Buffy the Vampire Slayer and do my fancy kickboxing maneuvers when I play scenarios in my head of someone coming after me...(that I learned from kick-boxing aerobics, not real martial arts...) It's almost here! and then we can train for Mooseman!!
Ha in my neighborhood I'm more worried about thugs than scary stalkers, but dark mornings still freak me out. Not to freak you out more, but it probably is a good idea to change up your route and your days of the week that you run. And maybe carry mace?
Somehow I missed that you're running Philly...good luck!!
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