I know you can’t run away from your problems but my brain tells me that I just might if I get a new PR. 😉
There really are few things that can get you more jacked (yes, I did just use that term and will stick by my choice of adjective) than a new personal best time. This applies obviously to races, but even PR’s in workouts. Crossing the line your legs are screaming at you to drop down dead to the ground but crazily thanks to being ‘jacked’ you’ve got this miraculous blitz of energy to postpone death drop for a second. In that second you are on cloud nine, beaming (at least inside, it may look like a sneer or grimace outwardly, but WE know it’s a smile!), fists pumping in the air (again, maybe only in our minds) and that lactic acid is numb.
Well, more like a millisecond of euphoric numbness but it IS there before the onslaught rush of muscles screaming at you because of the exertion. Even then, it’s sort of a sick and twisted awesome kind of pain that leaves you feeling jacked because:
1) YOU were beast-mode enough to last out the pain. You freaking bested your own brain that race, didn’t relent when you could have, pushed harder when your legs told you that you couldn’t, and you dug deep. Maybe deeper than you ever have before. Your body was being punished but you took it like a good soldier and kept your goals, the finish line, and the ever-powerful clock in mind.
2) You’re faster. I guess there’s no other way to put it…running works on two things: speed and distance. Improve on one and you’re pretty much validating all the work you’re doing. All the miles spent, all the workouts where no one knew you came out the mental victor, the sacrifices you’ve made, the nights you’ve visualized achieving that time. Validation.
So yea, I’m more than comfortable whipping out the jacked term, make fun of me if you must. I grew up in California so I’ll say if you get a new PR you have license to be hella hecka jacked. It’s bitchin.
Though, don’t rest on your laurels too much. Running is a little cruel like that…because guess what? You can still get faster. Of course you need to SAVOR those victories and achievements along the way, savor the heck out of them, but after that sweat has gotten super stinky (please, shower) the truth is running will taunt you, “You can still be faster.”
“Maybe not, you say?” Okay, this is true, there will inevitably be the PR that is a life PR but the other awesome thing about running is that it’s all relative. As in Masters runners still set PR’s…maybe a PR for their decade, maybe a new longest distance PR.
The term PR might eventually evolve into the word ‘goal’ for you. There is always the next GOAL to work towards. In the end, no matter what you call it, few things in the world (honest to goodness, I’d even argue with a meth addict to give chasing PR’s a shot…lol) leave you feeling more JACKED than obtaining a new running goal.
1) Finish the sentence: You can’t run away from your problems, but…
2) Brag time, when is the last time you got a PR? It can be from a workout even or you can swap PR out and use the word goal.
3) What leaves you feeling jacked?
This post has me feeling jacked!! haha it does! I really need to/want to push harder and go for a distance PR. I’m not fussed too much about time, but i want to go for long distance!
You can’t run away from your problems, but for 5 or 10 minutes, chocolate DOES help – don’t let anyone tell you any different. ha!
YAY for feeling jacked and go get after those PRs and distances girl! 🙂 oh, and trust me, chocolate, cake, and pop-tarts SO help me push thru those tough spots too. 😉
1. But you can out run the cops now! Unless there’s donuts involved. Then htey win.
2. My PR for a Half was set this October (Florence, AL). I bested my time by 4 minutes and no one passed me from Mile 6 on. I was still a middle of the pack runner, though. It’s not like I’m super fast but I got my time down to 1:48.
3. What gets me jacked is there are people at work who come up to me and say, “Hey, I just started the Couch to 5k because you inspired me” and I had no idea they paid any attention to what I do outside of the job. That feels really cool!
it is always SO amazing knowing that you were the catalyst to someone else getting involved in running and all the rewards that come with it…way to go! and congrats on that PR!!
Running helps put the problems in perspective!
I can’t even tell you how many times (even during a work-out) that I have thought the same phrase you used – just finish then you can die!! (pass-out, whatever!)
seriously, just cross that line and u can be a jelly blob for the rest of the day if u’d like, Body. 😉
My goal for this year is to run 1000 miles and get a PR on my 5k, 8k, and half. I have already beaten my race 5k time during a training run last fall – so I know I will be able to do it in a race sometime this year!
I’ve had one episode of runners high and it was awesome. I am on the search to get it back this year, several times over!
YES for the year of 1000 miles and a mad tear of PR’s…go after it! 🙂
You can’t run from your problems, but you can run through them!
so true! running SO keeps me sane. (*saner…lol)
You can’t run from your problems but you can go get a dose of endorphins so they don’t seem so bad!
Ok I am one of those weirdos that doesn’t do mental fist pumps but rather the real deal… just last week actually. Nothing like ticking that Garmin over and seeing a nice surprise!
hey, i’m no stranger to the mental fist pumps…and i FULLY endorse u keeping on doing the same on ur end! 🙂
…..you can. ?.it’s too early, I’ve got nothin’.
Oh, this was the perfect post for me today. I ran five miles for the first time EVER! Well, it was a run/walk sorta thing but I finished. And even though I’m soooo slow, it actually made me want to run more. 🙂 Because you’re right, you can always get better.
CONGRATS!!! that is so awesome…be so proud of each and every one of those sweaty miles!! keep up the great work girl because i kno it’s not gonna be long until u bust out the next longer run. 🙂
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