7 months ago I was dragging myself on a solo 20-mile training run along the Santa Monica bike path, and I was feeling pretty sorry for myself. Why?? Because I had to run 20 miles…because it was hot out…because I was tired…because I didn’t feel like running but had to train for the LA Marathon. My inner voice was a fairly constant track of whining.
I’ve had a lot of runs in my life where I’ve felt sorry for myself. Unbearably cold training runs in Minneapolis (#weatherproof) (to clarify when I say Minneapolis I mean Minneapolis, NOT St. Paul), the last sunrise 6k that was rainy and I felt sore and slow, and many more I’ve tried to forget about. Crazily enough, I wasn’t sorry for myself for a second when I was crutching through mud at Zion; I just felt excited that I could move and race and be outside and be with my friends. I was somehow the most grounded when I was the least mobile.
I’m in this wonderful place in my recovery now where I am very grateful to run. I hope it’s a feeling that I can hold onto forever – a desire to push myself and give the workout my all without worrying about my Strava upload or my pace compared to this person or “why the hell didn’t I PR I should be faster than this” running through my head. I held onto the gratefulness for awhile during my last recovery, but no matter how much you love to run, there’s probably a time during a really tough hill repeat when a thought similar to “this is terrible” will run through your head. Trust me, I get it. Even I don’t think sunshine-y rainbow thoughts 24/7.
I’m pretty sure Luke Lombardi does, though. If you only come to 6:30 and you’re like “Who is she talking about?” YOU ARE MISSING OUT!!!! I first met Luke at a brutal compass workout where you had to hold plank basically forever. I popped down next to Luke and to my surprise he looked over at me, grinned, and asked how I was doing. “Pretty good,” I said. “How about yourself?!” “I’m doing great!” He told me, sweat dripping off the ends of his yellow lab-like hair. “I’m getting so much stronger right now!!!!”
The trail repeats this morning were super tough, followed by 5.5 minutes of brutal planks. If you were a by-stander watching Nevil blast up the hill you may have been under the impression that the workout was no big deal and easy AF but that is false. Everyone worked hard and cheered each other on (especially Maximilian, don’t you just love that guy???) and I hope you only let Luke-like thoughts take up space in your head. If you ever see me forget to love my feet and my ability to run just grab my face and yell, “BE LIKE LUKE!!!!” I promise I will try my hardest.
Fun fact: Brogan Graham (co-founder of NP for those just tuning in) has a brother named Daniel Graham who co-leads Milwaukee. Daniel Graham’s very first love, “the one that got away” if you will, is a strong AF badass named Allison Nader Guerette. Allison is a proud early gang NP LAXer and when DG found this out he completely spazzed out and sent me this photo of Allison winning the Strategic Management Award.
NEWS
- THIS FRIDAY is our Sunrise 6k!!!!
- 5:27 and/or 6:27
- We’re under the Santa Monica pier. Check out that tracker!
