I Need To Do This More Often

So I've been playing Rec League volleyball off and on for several years. Last year was an off year, and when I came back to it I noticed that I was playing just a touch slower than I used to, and that I wasn't able to cover as much ground as quickly. I grudgingly chalked that up to rust and age and began to accept my newfound slowness, but as I ramped up my running this summer I noticed that my play in the summer league started creeping back to my previous, energetic, levels. So upon discovering that my running was helping out my volleyball playing I naturally spent the week leading up to the playoffs not running, and eating shit. Because, once again, I'm a genius. Playoff night I was slow, erratic, and didn't really get going until the very end of the final game, at which point we were one game down and playing from behind. We lost. I typed all that out just to further impress on myself the fact that I HAVE to run more consistently. I never understand my inability to start on things that I really enjoy going, namely running and writing. I love the push and struggle and breakthrough during, and the feeling of relief and accomplishment after, but holy hell is it hard overcoming that inertia of doing nothing. And, as I typed earlier, nothing clearly has consequences. Take as further evidence today's run. It was a beautiful morning, sunny and warm-but-not-hot, with a gentle, cooling breeze. It was the same course as my last run, from what seems like forever ago. Fort Greene loop, with stairs in the middle. I hit the park without too much trouble (and at a roughly 8:15 mile pace, which is fantastic for me) but once on the runner's trail I started to flag. The first trip up and down the stairs was much harder than it should have been and not only was I breathing too heavily, but the energy seemed like it was draining right out of my legs. Trip two was more of the same, and the third, and final, trip of the afternoon ended with burning upper quads, and an extended sit down at the bottom of the stairs. Sure, my pace was faster but I don't feel that I should have been that tired on that cycle at this point in the summer, especially given that last year I was completing this loop with five reps of the stairs and pushups and crunches in between each. I want to do better than this, and in order to do that I only need to do more, and more often. The back half of the run started a little touchy, on slightly unsteady legs. As I exited the park I considered stopping until "Body Moving" came on and I was forced to power through. A Cloud Cult song followed that managed to barely keep me moving, and coming up on the final stretch of the run I was trying desperately to not stop when on comes "Boy With the Arab Strap." There are a number of songs I put on my mix, not because they boost me, but rather because I can just coast with them. They are easygoing, but steady and calming. On the wings of Belle and Sebastian I was able to cruise my way home, running easy all the way.