Whoa – 12 degrees this morning.  Mother Nature isn’t kidding around anymore.  5 miles inside on the treadmill it is!!  I cranked up the speed just for fun!  Ha!

The cold is debilitating.  It’s manageable for an hour run, maybe 2 — but beyond that, I find it hard to keep my spirits up and my heart in it.  Needless to say – I find it H.A.R.D. to resist the urge to pee.   LOL.  Extreme cold just triggers something in me.  It doesn’t matter how recently I just went.  I still have to go again as soon as the cold hits me.  Remember that first 18 mile run?  I had to call it off because it was our first r.e.a.l.l.y. cold day of the season, and I just could not get past the deep need to pee.  The Great Pee Attack – is how I recall that day now.  LOL.

To some extent, my problem is a product of drinking too much gatorade and water out of nervous energy, AND a mind running in over-drive looking for something to latch onto.   It found my bladder, latched onto it — and the rest was history.  The Great Pee Attack.

But I had to do something.  That experience was early in my training regimen.  I had alot, ALOT. A.L.O.T. of running in the cold ahead of me.  What was I going to do??

Scott to the rescue!

I’m not sure if it was meant to be a joke or not — but Scott lobbed a comment on that post back then, and offered me a selection of female urination devices.  lmao.  If this is TMI — I apologize.  BUT, it’s a REAL issue when you are running on the road for hours+ AND maybe, because we are women, it’s just a little harder to do it discreetly.  But Hey — I’m putting ALL the truth out there — for any of you that find yourself on this path one day, someday!

So, out of desperation and basic need (with all embarrassment aside), I ordered a device called…. Go Girl!

I chose the beige one instead of the pink one…..um….cuz I figured it would blend into the camouflage of the woods better??!!  DUH, Diane  — your running clothes are bright green/black or bright pink/black — designed to be SEEN while you are in the road.  I don’t think passers-by will be drawn to look or deterred from looking by the color your Go-Girl is!!  Um, K.  Well,,,,I can’t say all of my thoughts have been rational.  But that’s why I bought the beige one.  LOL

Anyway — the next long run, I was packing!  I had my GoGirl, in the cute little cylinder, tucked away in my Camelbak pocket.   And sure enough, the next 18 miler – I used the thing 3 times over the course of the run.  First, I have to admit — as a woman who has been camping alot in her life — it still takes a bit to muster the bravery to wander off-road into the woods with “intention” to void your bladder.  A million thoughts go through one’s head.  Even though sparse cars are going by at 45 – 50 mph and the likelihood of them seeing anything is small — it’s a brave moment.  It just is.   And this particular device doesn’t require you to drop pants.  You just pull them down a bit in the front, put your foot up on a log and, well…..pee like a boy!

Advice from my husband AFTER my run: Make a wide stance!  Er – thanks hon.  Better late than never.  But….it’s a good thing I needed to replace my running shoes anyway, cuz — um….judging by my yellow socks……peeing like a boy…..is harder than it looks!

Practice.  Practice.  Practice.

Anyhoo.  The real lesson came when I did the 20 mile runs.  Both of them.  But the lesson had nothing to do with peeing, or the GoGirl.  It was an Ah-ha moment about the Power of my Mind!  Here it is.  BECAUSE I had the GoGirl and BECAUSE I proved I was brave enough and willing to “pull over” and use it…..All of a sudden…..while out there running 20 miles…...I just. didn’t. have. to. pee. anymore. !!!

Huh?

Yea.  Take THAT you worry-brain.  Even a Great Pee Attack won’t stop this run.  And because of the Power of My Mind….and as soon as I learned that….my foot began to hurt.  LMAO.  It’s just too funny and too ironic not to be true!

The mind just keeps searching for my weak spot.  Once it wasn’t my bladder anymore…it moved on.    It’s Ok brain….keep searching.  Keep looking.  Cuz all you are going to find is a simple girl….with some self-doubt (no lie), but one who is d@mned committed to finishing this thing.  Keep looking.  You won’t find anything that will stop me.  Not if I have anything to say about it!

Ciao for now….Diane