Spring! Where? You just missed it....

Normally as the weather improves and I spend more time outside running, the updates on my running blog become more frequent. The fact that it is April and I haven't blogged since January should tell you something.

Of course, I know I'm preaching to the choir about the weather but I can't keep going to the gym to work out on a treadmill. Right now, the only appeal it has is that I can catch up on my soaps. If I'm there for two hours, I can take in General Hospital and Y&R.  But I'm dying for the trails. I need to be surrounded by trees (whether there are leaves or not), feel the ground under my feet (or mud as the case may be), and cringe about an upcoming hill (son-of-a-beep hill is steeper than I remember!).

The fact is that I'm rather unmotivated right now; which is strange for me this time of year.  I know the weather is part of the reason but it's also the silly little things that add up to a lot. And of course the worse part is that I've got my first twenty-four hour race in two weeks and I'm not even close to where I want to be, with training, for it! One of those vicious circles of I-need-to-train-for-the-event- but-I-won't-be-where-I-want-to-be-for-it-so-why-bother. 

So what is a girl to do? I've decided that I need to schedule running into my day. I've never needed to do that before. Generally, I'd find a block of time, during the day or at night, that worked and just get my gear on and go. For some reason that isn't working right now so I need to set time aside. I never wanted training to feel like training. I'd just go for a run. I'm never worried about placing in a race so I haven't bothered attempting tempo running or fartleks, I just run. I'm concerned though that once training becomes "work" or something I have to do, I'll be even less motivated.

I love running. I love the freedom it gives me. I love the strength I feel. I love knowing I'm setting my spirit free. I need to find that feeling again. I need the weather to clear up, the sun to shine bright, and the air to feel just a bit warmer. And I need a trail.

And if that doesn't work, perhaps someone could run in front of me with a wireless computer so I catch up on my soaps!