On Wednesday morning, I woke up with the plan to go running. I wasn’t sure exactly I wanted to do: tempo run, speed work, comfortable and long? (See, this is why I need to follow some sort of plan…) While I mulled it over, I turned to my Believe I am Journal to flip the page to record the prior day’s rest, when I read this at the top:

 …It reminds us that we run our best when we are running FREE (of pressure, results, stress). When we run free, we run FAST. When we run fast, we have FUN.

Free, fast, and fun? Sign me up. I decided I’d just go for a run. No pressure, no constant peek at the garmin, no mileage or pace goal. Just go with the flow.

I ended up going on one of my favorite routes that takes me over the Williamsburg and back, along the river and ferry stations in Williamsburg and Greenpoint, over to McCarren track, and back home. It’s 5-7 miles depending if and how I extend it. Throughout, I felt super smooth and light, as if I was gliding. This feeling does not happen often, but I LOVE when it does. (I mean, who wouldn’t?) When I found myself back on my street, I stopped my watch, and paused. Should I even look at the numbers? They didn’t matter.

But of course I did.  6.1 miles, 7:34 pace. Guess the free, fast, fun thing works.

Now… I’m not trying to go number crazy. But! I understand its value when it comes to seeing what I’m capable of and setting tough, but realistic goals. I have felt totally rejuvenated this month, and ready to do some poundage in 2013. 

In other news, I legit lifted for the first time in AWHILE today, and…. darnnit. I am so freakin sore. In other OTHER news, the world is apparently ending very soon, so we’re drinking mimosas at work tomorrow morning. Better to go out a little tipsy I guess.

Proof that rest days pay off. Feeling fast thanks to @believeiam 🙂 #sistersinsport twitter.com/lschwech/statu…

— Laura Schwecherl (@lschwech) December 19, 2012