A First Date

So, last Saturday was the first Solemates group run out at the Tabeguache Trail. I'm not much of a morning person (OK, I'm not a morning person at all) so getting up and being at the trail at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday was not too appealing. But, I was so looking forward to meeting up with past members and catching up with them. There was a little anxiety though in meeting the new members. For me meeting new runners is like going on a first date and it's been at least seven years since I've done that. And why I feel that way I don't know, but everyone was great and it's awesome to see all of our different abilities and experience levels. And I have to admit it was fun to feel like a bit of an "expert" since most of the new members had never been out on the Tabeguache trail system.
And then we started heading up to Widow Maker and that "expert" feeling quickly faded away. I truly and deeply hate the up, up, up. It just feels like it takes forever and like it's impossible, my legs turn to lead and I don't feel like I can get enough air in my lungs, the negative thoughts start to creep up, like "you should just stop now and head back down because who are you kidding, pretending to be a runner". Seriously that's what goes through my mind. But before I know it I'm looking down over the valley feeling like I can do just about anything at that moment (which is the only reason why a logical individual would put their body through such agony, right?) there is just nothing that I have done in my life up to this point that gives me such a feeling of accomplishment. And it is truly so much fun heading back down the trail, taking in the views, dodging this rock and that rock, and working with gravity vs. fighting it. It's the most liberating and exhilarating experience to just let go.