Today I thought about how much I've changed since just last year. It's crazy. Last year I was known as the art chick, the girl who was the only non-stoner among stoners. I didn't get that great of grades. Now, I get really good grades. I'm a girl who runs a lot. Plus the thing is, I feel like I've changed mentally. Sure, there are a lot of habits that I have that I've always had, but somehow I know that how I think about certain things is very different. When mentioning that I'd changed from "That art chick" to "That girl that runs a lot", I was greeted with,
"Well that's not much better."
... Um, excuse me? What the hell does that mean? I'll let you know that running is amazing, thank you very much!
Since I'm on the subject of running, I also thought about my standing as a runner today.
Somehow, it sort of feels like I can't really call myself a runner still, but then I think about what that means. I don't go more than a day without running. I make sure that I schedule time for certain runs during the week. I think about how far I can go. I talk about running far too often. Still, I start to think, "I'm not a runner. I don't run as much as other people do, and I don't care so much about speed."
The mileage thing worries me in training, because I've heard of some people running a ton a miles before things. On the other hand, I've seen plenty of training schedules that say I'm doing just fine. Really, what does that matter? I care about running. I run a decent amount. I should feel proud to say that indeed, I am a runner.
I don't know if I've ever mentioned this here in the blog, but I have ran on a cross country team since middle school. Sure, I ran back then, but I was never very into it back then. I started to wonder, "Why do I like to run so much now?", and the answer is simple: Competition.
I hate running with other people, because I'm always comparing myself to then. If I'm running too fast, I look like a jerk. If I'm running too slow, I look like a loser. Running with my sister? Probably one of the worst ideas. Especially since one thing I happen to do is breathe quite heavily. Sure, it may sound bad, but that's just how I breathe. However, when I'm running with my sister and I'm breathing heavily, this happens:
Chloe: "Jeez, why the heck are you breathing so hard?"
Me: *tries to stop breathing so hard, ends up hyperventilating*
It's not a good cycle. When I run, it's not for periods of time. It's for miles. I've read both ways of running are good. I simply prefer my way.
This summer, I think I'm going to try running with people again. I may be slower, but it'll be nice to have company for longer runs if I do. Who knows? Maybe they'll push me to go faster.
I think I've either hit or gone over 500 miles in these shoes. Dangit, I didn't want to get new ones, but I'm pretty sure I need to. Goodness!
On a final note, I really want this:
When was the last time you realized you've changed a lot? How did you change?
Changing your habits changes your whole life! I changed a lot my freshman year of college. I think it's all about staying open to what you want to do, and following through with it.
ReplyDeleteHehe, considering I hate running more than two miles,I definitely consider you a runner!
Oh, RE my nose to tail post!
Roasting a chicken is VERY easy. Here are a few things that make or break a good roast chicken:
- Make sure it's a good chicken ;-). A free-range chicken DOES taste better, even if it's more expensive. The meat is moister and less chewy.
- Make sure the chicken is at room temp before you cook it.
- Keep the skin dry except for some butter or oil under the skin. A drizzle of oil on top is ok, but I usually don't.
- Remember chicken is a "canvas" food. It tastes good because of what you put on it. So go wild! Curry powder and Moroccan spices are yummy. But so are the simpler European herbs and lemon.
- Don't be afraid to use high heat. Usually a full-time hour blast of 425 works, but if you're worried about it drying out (like if you know it's an older chicken) then preheat the oven to 475, but when you stick in the chicken, lower it to 400 for about 120 minutes.
- When it's done, the juices run clear and the leg bone jiggles in the socket.
- Let the chicken rest on the counter for 15 minutes before carving (covered with foil if possible). It lets the juices settle.