Goals? Motivations? Or just the joy of running?

Took a few days off, my excuse is resting my legs but also its been cold, windy and raining when I’ve arrived home from work. Two of these in any combo I can hack but all 3 – Then it becomes a chore and thats something I dont want it to become.  In a similar vein runkeeper keeps nagging me – “Set a goal – people who set goals are more likely to achieve” etc etc and I was considering this. At the end of last year I set that I wanted to do 220 miles by the end of the year (I cracked 300 in the end) and I found that I was going running either when I shouldnt because of tired muscles and therefore risking injury or even when i didn’t want to – all to keep bumping up my totals.

So when runkeeper nags me to set a target I refuse – I refuse because I want to run to enjoy, to feel alive, to leave pain behind for a while, to remember the good. I want to run to get better in my own sweet time, I want to run for the joy of freedom and the feel of the ground skipping beneath my feet. I want to taste the air and take in the views. Live in the moment – my moment with every step I take. I want to stop to think, to ponder the beauty of where I am of who I am, to think how far I’ve come and to look forward to the journeys ahead. To forget my watch ticking away to itself, it can tick. I’m a minute slower because I stopped to smell the roses? Who cares? I don’t have a training plan, I have my own plans, I’ll get there. I’ll get there when I do. Don’t wait for me, i’m happy doing it my own way.  My running isn’t statistics. My running isn’t a job. Don’t get me wrong I love milestones too. The first time I ran a mile I smiled. Back from the beach? Smiles. 2 miles, 4, 6, 8, 10, 13 – They all meant and mean something to me but i’m not pushing for them. They will come if I am patient and I can enjoy them all the more – just like my running.

Todays route   Just to the beach at Monknash and back in the cold, wind and rain. The tide was out but  slogging through evil conditions was going to take any fun out of it. I can wait for sunnier days.

The body felt fantastic today too, I noticed in work today that there were no aches and pains at all. No tight muscles, nothing. Looks like a few days of rest (well sort of rest, I walk a lot in work) can do the world of good. Looks like I’ll need to look into tapering before any events and maybe a few days rest or only light running beforehand if it makes me feel like today!