running on an island

this weeks totals:
distance: 16.06
duration: 2:34:20
avg page: 9:37/mi
calories burned:  2256


so, it's been about a week since my last input.  i don't really have much to say.

so, my workouts this week show a lot of promise.  i felt pretty good.  so far doubt hasn't crept into my mind yet.  I'm sure it will as I'm due to have a few bad workouts here and there.  that's to be expected.  however, each time i finish i feel more encouraged.

things have seemed to calm down a bit.  i don't talk much about my running anymore at work.  i just do my thing.  not many people there are into running like i am.  oh, well to each his own.  i do work with some out of shape sorts though.  some could use a workout or two.  there are a bunch that are in great physical shape as well.  there are a few others though that do run or are trying to do more it.  that makes me happy because now i can have some one to talk to it about.  i am the only one in my department that does as much as i do.  I'm very familiar with the situation though.  it's just as when i first started.

when i first started, i didn't think it would grow into something i would thoroughly enjoy doing.  i realized that i was never going to be the best at it which makes me continue to run.  since i started this alone and without help from anyone, i was okay with the solitude.  the more i ran the more i felt i was alone on an island. because there wasn't anyone there that i could exercise with, i felt more and more isolated.  there was no one there that would get up and join me early in the morning for a workout.  no one wanted to give up a couple of nights a week of hanging out and staying up late to wake up in the morning.  in my line of business, that just how life is.  so, going to bed early and waking up early to run made me "crazy". if i had a dime for every "I'd only run if....(fill in the blank)" i heard, I'd be able enough pairs of running shoes to last me a lifetime.

at least that's what people would say.  i was crazy for getting up early to run.  most of them refused to wake up before 10.  they don't even think about getting up between 630 and 7.  so, i would get up do my run, and i could be back before anyone woke up from the night's slumber after going for a long run.  i learned after a while that running can be a very lonely venture.  however, someday when I'm back stateside maybe i can find a running club and have people to train and run with.  i hope by then my wife will be able to keep up with me until i start training for another race.  what i did discover at races was how friendly a lot of people are at these events.  it's that common bond that we share in the moment.  you can show people how much you enjoy running on all of these social sites and such, but i think at a race it really comes out.  with me, it's more so because i don't feel as bad as i do when I'm flaunting all the success I've had online to people who are obviously tired of hearing about it.  we wouldn't do it if it wasn't something we loved to do.  i feel like i go back into civilization when I'm at a race.  no longer am i on that island.  i don't feel so bad now that I'm on that island again because i know I'll be joining civilization again soon.