I AM THE STORM!!!

Local Weather Alert

Tor-ANDO Warning for Fletcher, NC

until 11:26 PM EST, Sat., Mar 18, 2012

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Issued by The National Weather Service
Asheville, NC

Sat, Mar 3, 2012, 10:36 AM EST

Local Radar Map

Updated Mar 3, 2012, 12:25pm EST

REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON...

A RUNNING  STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER...
* STORM IS MOVING THROUGH THE FLETCHER AREA AT A RATE OF 9.0 MPH
* BAD ATTITUDES, AND HEADACAHE GRADUALLY DIMINISH THIS MORNING... BUT PERIODS OF FATIGUE WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY... ESPECIALLY IN LOWER LEGS
* DURING THE MORNING HOURS TODAY...EXPECT PERIODS OF DISPAIR THAT WILL BE OVERCOME WITH PARTY ROCKING
* WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED... WHICH WILL RESULT IN CONSIDERABLY UNCONTROLLED PACING AND THOUGHTS OF SURRENDER
* DURING MILES 3-4 PACE AND ATTITUDE ARE EXPECTED TO CHANGE DRAMATICALLY RESULTING IN YELLING TO THE SKY AND BOUTS OF FIST PUMPING
* CAUTION SHOULD BE EXERCISED AS THIS STORM CELL HAS BEEN KNOWN TO PICK UP SPEED WHEN COMBINED WITH MOTLEY CRUE
* PLEASE SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER, THIS STORM IS NOT ONE TO BE MESSED WITH!!! 
* THE ONLY WAY TO CALM THIS STORM CELL IS TO MEET IT WITH MIMOSAS AND A NAP....


The above pretty much sums up my day today which was probably one of the more interesting runs on record.  I ran great on Tuesday, then had a bad day Thursday so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect today. I probably took the "only 8 miles at goal pace" workout for granted and couple that with staying out until 2am last night, a headache and severe winds...... I had the cards stacked against me this morning.  Oh, and that redbull I had at 1am to stay awake enough to drive eveyone home.....BAD IDEA!  I woke up at 8:30, tired as hell but the looming workout filled my head and I just got up.  I drank some coffee, made some breakfast......30 min nap.  I considered briefly the idea of postponing this run to tomorrow but knew I was too close to my race to pull that crap. I suited up and headed out.  I started out on the 2 mile warmup and the wind was already annoying.  All I could think about was the last windy, goal pace run I had back in January which almost killed me and I knew I wasn't ready for that today. 

Warmup done as I walked up from the park trail to the road and stretched out a little.  "ok, let's do this" I said to myself.  I started out and things felt pretty good, I was right around 6:55 which is where I wanted it.  The wind sucked, but the worst was coming.  I had a small hill to overcome and I finished mile 1 at 7 min.  20sec to overcome.  From here I was completely unprotected from the wind and it was right it my face.  It sucked.  I wondered if this was a bad idea and thought very seriously about just running the 8 miles "competatively" instead of at my goal pace.  I didin't think I could handle failing the workout today. I convinced myself I'd take it one mile at a time and hope for the best.  The wind was brutal, but I was moving slightly downhill.  Mile 2 I was still losing ground.  I was now 29 sec back.  I decided I'd turn back at 3.25 miles, that way I'd be back where I started at mile 6.5, still 2 miles from home but only 1.5 left to run.  I knew that "the turn" was always a good way to help generate some motivation.  Mile 3 I was now 35sec back.  Could I do it today?  I didn't know at this point, but I tried to keep my wits about me. 

Then, something happened.  I turned around, and just as I did, Fat Boy Slim's "Right Here, Right Now" came on my iPod.  Not sure why or how, but it was like a lightening bolt hit me.  Immediately my mentality changed and I could feel my face lose all emotion and I'm pretty sure if you could have seen my eyes it would have been one of those "oh shit, he's for real" moments.   I picked up my pace and yelled out to the sky "TODAY IS MY DAY, TODAY IS MY FUCKING DAY, I AM THE STORM!!" (my favorite quote when things get tough is "weather the storm or BE the storm).  My pace went to a 6:15-6:20 and I held it damn near right there.  The wind seemed to die down and even though I had a gradual uphill most of the way back I was KILLING IT, and LOVING IT.  It seemed like my pace and my playlist were in perfect sync.  One minute I was yelling outloud, pumping myself up, and the next I was singing and air boxing.  In the next 3 miles I had made up all my time AND was now ahead 10 seconds! 

Then, things got weird for a minute.  I had all this emotion flowing over me, my body and mind went from a clunking trainwreck, to a well oiled freight train from hell.  The Rocky IV montage song was playing at somewhere near the mid point it starts to "rev up" which always gets me pumped. Today it did so much more. Immediately I was mentally transported to last years marathon.  Instead of running in Fletcher, I was just coming off the expressway in Jax, Fl and rounding the corner, ahead of me was a tunnell of fans, and a finish line.  I started to cry.  After weeks and weeks of killing myself every day, trying to be tough, second guessing my training and being worried about my goal, I put it all aside and let myself be proud for a moment. It was a weirdly awesome feeling.  It's why I started running to begin with.  I did have to regain myself though, crying and running don't mix.....it's a breathing thing :)  I enjoyed my last mile and gave a victory yell as I stopped my watch.  A very proud day that I wasn't expecting.  Little unexpected blessings are all around us, and today I was just fortunate enough to have one take place when I needed it most and I was of able enough mind to truly appreciate it.  It's a lesson I think we could all apply to our daily lives.  Thank you running.  Thank you.