Random Thoughts on Running--it's really about the skirt

So I had a great run today. Really. It was 12 miles...longest run I've done since the marathon last fall. But I am signed up for a half marathon the day before Mother's Day so it's time to get serious about my training again. Actually, I had a long run planned for last week but I spent that morning worshiping the porcelain god in my bathroom and after worship services were over, I had no energy left for the next 3 days. But this week I was ready to get back on track. Today was the day.

Well, last week I read this article in Runner's World magazine about what people think about when they run. Apparently what you are thinking about can impact the quality of your run. And while random thinking can be good for you, apparently if you are serious about running you won't just spend all your time in random thinking, but you'll focus on your run some of the time as well. For me personally, I can't get into that routine that some of my runner friends do when they count their breaths compared to their pace and how many steps they take per breath, etc. No...for me, I figure if I am running, I am pretty sure I am breathing. End of analysis.

So today, after confirming that I was running and therefore breathing, I moved on to the part where I zone out and just run, lost in the abyss of random thoughts in Heather's brain. So, in risk of letting people catch a glimpse of just how random and scary my brain is, here are some of my random thoughts while running.

• Man, every song on my playlist is about running. Really! Every song relates to running. I can find at least one way that EVERY song on my playlist can be tied to how I feel while running, how I feel about running, how I feel after running, etc.
• I am moving so slow!
• I don't care if I am moving slow...I have on a dang cute skirt!!! And anyone running in a skirt is awesome! (really--try it. Get a running skirt. It's like secret power--you feel invincible as you pass others and you are thinking "yah, I just passed you. And I'm in a SKIRT!!!" Most of the time they are walkers, but I still pass them.)
• What if I saw a dead body in those bushes? Okay, seriously, what morbid person worries about coming across a dead body on their run??? It's not like I live in some psycho neighborhood or crime capital of the world. Nevertheless, it has popped in my head as I've run past swampy, marshy bushes.
• I swore I would never eat Gu!!!! Now I have favorite flavors!!!
• This flavor isn't going down so well today.
  
• How many people that know me have passed me and thought I was running slow? Did they notice I at least have on a very cute skirt???
• Hmmm....maybe I COULD be an American Gladiator. Or at least an Athleta model. Then I would have a lot more cute skirts to run in. (I tell you--wear a skirt when you run! It makes you certain you are so much more than you are!!!!)
• It doesn't matter how hot it gets, I will NEVER run in just a jog bra. My wobbly bits are for my eyes only. Hmmm...how am I going to be an American Gladiator or an Athleta model with wobbly bits?
• What am I going to make for dinner tonight? When are we going to find time for dinner tonight?
  
• Maybe if I stare at the ground I won't notice that I have a big hill to climb. No, now I just think that I'm running REALLY SLOW on flat ground. I'd rather know that I'm going up a big hill slow.
  
• Who's idea was it to program this Garmin to beep at me every time I slow down...doesn't it know I'm going uphill???
• Why am I so crazy that I don't just turn the stupid beep off? Because secretly I love the beep taunting me to run faster. And hey...I have on a really cute skirt. So maybe I CAN run faster.