Meeting Challenges

One of the things I love about running is those unexpected challenges that come up.  Today was one of those days.  Hubby and I set out for Bob Callan Trails.  I told him I had never run here.  As we ran further I realized we were on the backside of the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area (Paces Mill).  I was immediately a little nervous.  Paces Mill is an area where we have run before but it has two enormous and steep hills that I have tried to run and been unsuccessful.

As we were running Bob Callan hubby said, "so we will be going down these large hills and then coming back up."  As we got onto the hills I recognized the area and thought to myself "no way."  Hubby must be psychic because he said, "when we come back we can just walk up the hills.  I do it all the time."  I know that's a lie.  He never walks once he has completed his warm up until he is doing his cool down.  He has been with me when I have been unable to make it up the hills especially in hot, humid weather like today.  Also the hills are the only full sun concrete part of the path.  Of course they are!

As we approached the hills after our run out hubby says okay we can walk.  I said "no let's just slow down our pace a little and see how far I can make it."  I was proud when we got to the top of the first hill.  Further than I had before.  Of course that imbued me with a false sense of confidence as the second ascent followed right on the heels of the first.  I wanted to say let's walk, but I knew I had been training. I had been running hills.  I have done tough, hilly Atlanta races.  So I just tightened up my core and focused at the top and finished the hills.  After the hills I still had some left in the tank and we finished the rest of our run at a nice pace.

That is one of the things I love about running.  You may not get to meet that many challenges in your day to day life, but out there running there is always an opportunity to challenge yourself to go a little further, or do something you would have shied away from before.  It was a fun run and I definitely could see that my hard work was paying off.

Hope you had a fun weekend and got some running in too?