It is the first day of Marcothon, a daily commitment to run 5 kilometres (or for 25 minutes) everyday in December, including Christmas Day. From my nice cosy, predictable, routine in Canada this seemed like a good way to take my run to the next level but now I am being seduced by the most attractive excuses. I have not been healthy enough to run for two weeks, acute sinusitis continues to plague me when I run. I have had, at best, 12 hours worth of accumulative naps in a 5 day period after travelling 36 hours with a preschooler, a toddler and a baby. Jet lag has turned the marrow in my bones to cement but what suffocates any of my good intentions is the 38 degree heat. Any attempts to let myself off the hook are squashed by a fellow Marcothoner, “You were the one who got us into all of this nonsense in the first place!” she told me. Friends who hold you accountable are both a blessing and a curse. I put on my running shoes.
Suburban Australia is as different from the Canadian countryside as you can get in the Western world. The basics are there but slightly skewed. A two dollar coin is the size of a penny, cheese is not orange, and yes water drains clockwise. There are roads and cars, but they drive on the opposite side of the road. It is the tiny changes that screw with your head the most because you think you know what is going on but then you nearly get side swiped by a car.
My body and mind switched allegiances to the Northern Hemisphere years ago but the heart is remembering and the run is reacquainting. The slender curve of a gum leaf, the comical genius that is the Pink Galah, the smell of heat cooking itself. Sweat does not even have the chance to lounge on my skin as the air is so thirsty it evaporates immediately. I am marvelling in distractions and have run 18 minutes straight. I probably could keep going but just because I can doesn't mean I should. I walk the rest of the way as I want to run again tomorrow. Although I have been running for a couple of months I have not run daily yet and I am mindful of injury. And heat stroke.
I use to have very little empathy for people who could not cope with the heat. I don't know if it is an age thing or the fact that this time last week I was making snow angels but the heat has crippled me. The next day I am concerned enough to change my running direction to go past the hospital just in case. Back from an early morning run day 5 and I decide to not run again till tomorrow afternoon just to give my body some time to adjust to a multitude of nonsenses yet sticking to the rules.
3 comments:
Personally, I'm opposed to Marcothon and its ilk. Sometimes it's good to have that extra incentive to run when you don't feel like it but I feel there's an increased risk of injury when you feel you have to run - be careful, listen to your body, and if you really need to rest, then rest. I've met Marco, he seems like a nice guy, he'll understand.
I am nodding in agreement at revised lack of empathy for coping with heat. Having moved from Sydney to the UK nearly 14 years ago I am well and truly northern hemisphered. My sister laughed when my kids were playing in the paddling pool when we were last there and it was 'only' 22C.
I think you're right to take it easy on the running. There's a big difference between pushing yourself to improve, and taking it too far. Marcothon is a great way to help motivate yourself to increase your activity, but you can't go from 0-60mph (or km/h since you're in Australia).
Enjoy your holiday.
Thanks guys for your comments. Today we had thunderstorms all day and it was much much cooler but funnily when I started running all my body wanted was to be still. I wasn't in any pain but I think that the whole marcothon concept has been a bit demotivating. I was doing better with running at my own pace.
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