It happens...

I hate to admit it, but sometimes, I hate running.
Actually, I take that back.

I hate that I fell in love with running.

I really do. Sometimes, I just don't want to run. Some days are just so hard to get out of the door. The act of even lacing my shoes up becomes such a difficult task, when really, it's all in my head. Every now and then, I start dreading the run, and mentally I'm not into it. I know it's good for me, I know I need it to keep me sane, but a little rest never hurt anyone... until you never stop resting.

It happens to a lot of runners. Maybe not so much the elites or pros (as they are making a living doing it), but to the casual runner, like myself, it happens. Life gets in the way -- you get sick, you "don't have time", you just plain don't feel like going.

I used to run religiously, especially when I lived in Hawaii. The weather was ALWAYS perfect, and even if it was raining, it was refreshing to run in it, because it was still 70℉ outside. I lived right across the street from a bike path, that was fairly well-maintained, safe-ish, and offered uninterrupted running - no crosswalks, no vehicle traffic - paved asphalt, with a good variety of scenery, not the prettiest, but a variety. 🤣

I'd run long on some days, run hills on other days, go to my old high school track/bleachers. I'd do a lot of different runs. Short, long, fast, slow. Sometimes I'd run to the gym, workout, then run back home on others. Sometimes I'd bike. I never drove to the gym when I lived in Hawaii. It was only 2 miles away from my place. I hiked a lot also. I was always active. THEN, I moved back to Vegas.

I came back to Vegas right before autumn and its cooler weather rolled in. Adjusting back to living at my parents house, not being able to run down the street to the gym, the lack of humidity, and just overall change in environment really put a kink in my routine. I had to come back to flying at a different base, different routes, and on the older aircraft, no longer having an overnight... just a few things that really affected my sleep and general feeling of being "well-rested" if that makes sense.

In Honolulu, we had the Boeing 757, which had MUCH better pressurization than the MD80s. Although, the trips I fly in Vegas are shorter, I get really tired out because of it. It really makes a difference. I especially noticed when I went to LA for 2 months and flew on the Airbus. I never got tired on the plane, and if I did, it was only because I didn't get good rest the night before. I never felt worn out or  like I needed to immediately take a nap after work, even after a 10 hour duty day, which is the longest trip they had. I still could go running, and even decided I'd go and hang out with a few of the girls after work. DEFINITELY NOT a feeling I'd get after getting off the 80 here in Vegas.

Anyway, with all that combined, I, unfortunately, stopped running as often, and even now, a year and a half after moving back, I haven't been able to get the ball rolling like I did.

Co-workers and friends often ask me how often I run. They have this idea that I run every day, consistently... sorry to break it to you all. I don't. Not anymore at least. I regret to say that I am on a valley of my running. To curb this, I tend to sign up for races to help motivate me to keep up my running. I even just signed myself and my boyfriend up for a 10k (6.2 miles) in Honolulu during our vacation. It's usually just a temporary break, and I find my self back in the swing of things, especially when the weather gets warmer. It's really just the winter that gets me. I hate cold! As much as I hate it though, I actually went running yesterday in 33℉. I honestly need to stop making excuses as to why I don't wanna go.

But, it happens to everyone, at least once. Some just don't admit it.