"What is the hardest part?"

A few weeks ago, in reference to my "Summer of Run" challenge, my cousin Daniel asked me, "What is the hardest part?"

So in response to his question, I've made a list of possible answers to that very question.

Here is what I had contemplated as challenges before beginning a few weeks ago:

1. Getting up and running every day - Nope, not for me.

I try to make a point of running within an hour or less of waking up. I also try not to sleep past 8am on any given day so I can run early (except my 10+ hours I usually get each Fri. and Sat. night).

I know, I am getting a lot of sleep- but I am banking it while I can. Eventually kids will be part of the equation and I will NEVER sleep again.

A few days I've waited all day to run and I always regret it.

2. Having the energy to get through a mile - Nah, that's not it either.

A mile is not a big deal for me to complete. Trust me, it used to be! As I mentioned here- athletic people do not win the "Most Versatile" cheerleader award. I actually wish I were logging more than my average 1-2 miles each day and I think I could be if this hadn't happened. Oh well, I will add on sooner or later. As of today I still have 47 more days to go.....

3. Finding the time to run - Definitely not.

It is summer and I am a teacher, enough said.

4. Recovering from sore muscles/aches and pains - Bingo!

That has been the hardest part BY FAR and was compounded by my falling down stairs. My knees and hips ache daily. My left knee (the entirely too long post about that is here) has been feeling great! It is mostly my left and right hips that are the most sore. Well, the last week my back pain has superseded any other pain I've felt.

**Take my poll on the left side of the homepage to share what would be the biggest challenge for you!

So- other than the aches and pains from not having any rest days, I am running along just fine.

Although, a few times I've either had a dream in which I missed a day or I've had moments of panic at the end of a day thinking that I forgot to run. Crazy- I know.

I'll be back with a post later this week about how I deal with my aches and pains (the normal ones, not the ones from falling down wet stairs).