Running Thoughts

Here are some running related thoughts that have been going through my head lately.  Some of them have gone through my head while running, some just randomly popping into my head at other times.

1. I sometimes wonder why I run races.  I know that sounds odd, but at the start of almost every race I wonder why I do this.  The feeling goes away by the second mile, but it seems every race I run this thought goes through the brain.
2. This one is a tad personal, but eh.  I've lost a lot of weight since 1999.  The last year I've lost a bit over 20 pounds and within the last four months I've toned by a lot.  Working with a trainer and really getting those exercise sessions in will do that!  But, I've noticed the tummy kinda wiggles when I run.  More than it ever has and it's disconcerting. I don't think I'll ever have a flat stomach, even when I reach my goal weight, so this is not a good development on the road to a thinner me.
3. I've set a personal best/record in my last six races.  I'm not complaining or anything.  But, I'm having a hard time believing I'm as fast as I am running.  I've made HUGE strides in the last 6 months in my speed.  Heck!  I'm 6 months ahead of schedule in my goal time for the half marathon.  I hadn't hoped to be under 3 hours until the fall.  And even then I would have been happy with a 3 hour race.  I just can't wrap my head around these times being real.  That I really am running this fast.  I know that sounds weird, but for a slow runner it's hard to comprehend running at an average speed.  I'm not there yet, but I'm knocking on average speed's door.
4. I'm spending an inordinate amount of time thinking about my running diet.  I trained for the Princess Half Marathon (2011) and never gave it much thought.  In October (2011) I went out for a 12 mile run and felt like I was going to die afterwards.  My stomach hurt so badly.  But, I did nothing majorly different than I'd done for any long run.  I never ate anything before a run.  I didn't give my pre-race diet much thought either.  But, it's seems that since losing 20ish pounds since Princess my body is reacting differently to running anything over 5 miles.  I didn't eat anything before Philly and didn't eat my sports beans and felt like I was going to die again.  (I know, I know. You can't run 13.1 miles without food.)  So, I starting eating half a slice of bread with peanut butter for anything over 6 miles, while taking 4 sports beans every three miles.  All during training I was fine.  Then I ran the Shamrock 8k in Virginia Beach - no bread, no beans, felt like crap.  :-(  For the half the next morning I had the race mapped out.  I ate three peanut butter crackers before heading out.  Then, every other water station I took water and 4 sports beans.  I have never felt better after a race!  So, it's a work in progress, but it's a pain that I have to re-figure this out.
5. There's a new race this year in MD called the Metric Marathon (16.3 miles).  I had no desire to do it this year, but I'm starting to think I want to do it next year.  Hubby thinks it's a gateway to a marathon.  I think he's insane.
6. While running the Hershey 10k I started thinking how nice it would be to run with someone at a similar pace.  I've never really cared before and I'm not sure I care for someone to run with during training runs, but it just seemed like it would be fun to have someone to run with during the race.  Sadly, I'm so slow there are few people who run my speed...
7. I realized how just absolutely dirty my last pair of sneakers were compared to the new ones.  I realize I ran a muddy trail in the old ones which caused them to get dirty, but it's still a huge difference.
8. Back to the stomach.  I wish it were smaller.  I can't seem to find any Bermuda-type running shorts that aren't tight in the stomach area.  They are all designed tightly for some reason.  I want to wear something shorter than the capris I'm wearing, but I'm very sensitive about the stomach and I don't like my pants showing off how big it is.  I wish I was at the end of the weight-loss journey so the pants might fit me normally, like other people.

So, that's my ramblings for the night.  Not very exciting, but I swear that those thoughts have all gone through my head as I run.  Along with many others, but those really only make sense to me.  LOL!  What goes through your head when you're running (besides where is the finish line or can I stop now?)