Today was overcast and very cool outside. Normally, on a day like today, I’d think twice about going outside to exercise. The weather would make me hesitate. It looked overcast, like it would rain at any time, and I didn’t want to leave the warm coziness of our house for the cold outdoors. But I’m training, so I didn’t think twice. Of course I went out, especially since I wasn’t sure I’d be able to train tomorrow. When the cold greeted me outside, I just thought ahead to the day of the race, and thought what better shape I’d be in if I trained each available moment. And that made it easier.

I also used the walk/run method that my brother-in-law Mark told me about. By alternating walking and running, it cuts down on fatigue. I walked/ran at a 1:1 ratio, first running for a minute, then walking for a mintue, and so on. It was a really comfortable pace for me, and I felt like I could have gone on quite a bit longer like that. But for today I only had 20 minutes.

When I finished my walk/run, I was no longer cold but sweating. I felt invigorated and as if somwhow I had conquered the weather. Most of all I felt healthier and felt like I had increased my stamina. It feels good to work toward a goal.