It's Not About The Pace.

I went for a run this morning. I ran nearly a minute slower than my normal pace. And yet, I'm very happy and have no problems at all with my performance. What gives?

It's simple. It's not always about the pace. Every run isn't going to be a Personal Best, and every workout won't be "OMG! Best Ever!"

My plan was to go to the gym this morning, but the 4:30am alarm came and went. I felt tired, exhausted even, and I really wanted an extra hour of sleep. And the sound of the rain outside was like a lullaby. So I chose to roll over, go back to sleep, and adjust the rest of my day as needed.

Since I didn't go to the gym this morning, I was able to get into the office by 6:30am. Uninterrupted and wide awake, I  got a lot accomplished before the rest of the crew came rolling in at 8:30. By 9:30, I was ready for a break. I changed into my running gear and headed out into the rainy morning.

(Yes, I am fortunate. I have a fair amount of flexibility with the hours I work and I also have a shower at the office. So I can go for a run during the day. I like that.)

But back to the pace. Running in the business-centric area of Mission Valley means dealing with traffic and stoplights. And today, it also meant negotiating some flooded areas and running in the cold rain. Clearly, it wasn't going to be one of my faster runs. What it turned out to be was one of my most enjoyable runs, though.

I ran for the fun of it. I enjoyed the feel of the cool rain and didn't think for a second about being too hot. I laughed out loud more than once seeing the "What the heck?!" looks on the faces of the people working in the offices as I ran by. And more than anything, I liked feeling like I was dedicated and motivated by running in the rain while others drove by and stared in disbelief.

My pace was slow, yes. But today's run wasn't about speed. It was about having a good time and proving to myself that deciding to sleep in once in a while doesn't have to automatically derail my training plans.

Post rain-run, ready to get inside!

My Rainy Day 5K Results