Things I learned from running

I know that if I have a bad run today, tomorrow is another chance to be spectacular. I don't need a lot. Shoes, sock, running bra, shorts. Watch and iPod are nice to haves, not need to haves. Know the difference. Listen to my body and trust what it tells me. Drink before I'm thirsty, pain is not a chance to suck it up, take the opportunity to blow it out on the good days. Prepare for the future. Running more than an hour - bring Gu. Have lunch handy after a long run. Tuck a $20 in my pocket for long runs in that remote chance that you need to come by cab instead of by foot. Prioritize where the money goes. Shoes are important, and cost is no issue if they take care of my feet/legs/hips. Shorts just need to cover my ass, though riding up is a deal-breaker. I'm okay on my own. I like running with groups, and have met great friends that way. But on my own, I set my pace, head out at those obscenely early hours that I like. It's okay to be average sometimes, to just get out there and try. I'm not genetically designed to be fast. I'm big and lumbering, and am happy to take pride in a sub-10-minute race pace. Keep happy babies.