Running like the wind

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Where I live, it is crazy windy. I thought it was windy when I lived in the city of Chicago, but there you at least have buildings to block the wind. Out here "in the country," (I live in Geneva, an hour outside of Chicago) as my city friends like to call it, there are no big buildings and in my neighborhood, there aren't even any mature trees. So, when it's windy, it's really windy and there's no way to escape it. In addition, it seems to be windy so often that my neighbors and I point out with surprise the days that aren't windy. This does not bode well for me because I love to run outdoors, but I do not like to run in the wind. The wind makes me feel so slow and I can't stand that!

My issues with the wind came into play last year when I was training for the Danskin Triathlon. I was going to do one more hard, fast run a couple days before the race. I wanted to end my training on a high, with a good, strong run so I could take that momentum with me into the race. But, wouldn't you know it; it was a very windy day. If I recall correctly, winds were 18-20mph. Ugh.

Now don't get me wrong, there are good things about training in wind. The wind can be a helpful partner in making a run more challenging and can even simulate hills here in the flat Midwest, but I wasn't looking for that kind of workout at this stage in my training.

So, I began to prep for my last run. Wind or no wind I was still going for a run. I studied the flag out on the golf course behind our house to get a sense of the wind - which direction was it coming from, was it swirling, was it steady wind or gusts? I wanted to strategically plan my course.

My goal was to run as little as possible into the wind. I did not want to do an out and back route, which would consist of 50% with the wind and 50% into the wind. I wasn't even in the mood for a loop course which would mean all sorts of crosswinds and periods of headwinds. Nope. All I wanted was to do the entire run going with the wind, because, for me a huge component of the training is mental. I wanted to get my mind into the state that says – you are an athlete, a fantastically, wonderfully made TRIathlete. I wanted no negativity in my brain going into my triathlon.

The only problem with my plan of running with the wind was that I was going six miles in one direction, and meant I would have to walk home, or figure out another alternative. That's when I talked to my husband and he agreed to humor my need to “run like the wind.” So, I started out on my run and ran with the wind the whole time. It was wonderful. I felt fresh and fast. Just what I needed.

And when I got to the last stretch, nearly 6 miles from home, I heard two sweet little voices cheering, "Great job Mommy!" and saw my husband smiling as he drove up alongside me. I ran with the wind and had my husband and boys pick me up at the finish! A little crazy? Perhaps.

But sometimes you just need to feel the wind at your back.

Brooke

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