Hi, my name is Toni and I'm bored with running.....

Sound familiar? The phrase that was made famous by Alcoholics Anonymous has now crept into my daily confessions of my love/hate relationship with running. Recently at a Black Girls RUN! meet and greet, I mentioned my precarious relationship with running by confiding in the group, "Actually, I hate running." Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing and their jaws dropped with surprise. After all I'm supposed to be the poster child for this movement. How dare I!? I went on to explain that I was just extremely bored with the sport. Granted, I still loved the feeling post run, but running, my friends has become a bore. Training for the many upcoming races we have scheduled has become laborious. Yes, I'm in a rut. But this can't be it, right? All those great times running and I had. All the pain, loss of toenails, the medals, was it all in vain? It's not that I've fallen out of love with running, but the honeymoon is definitely over. What's the key to getting out of my rut? Up the ante. Here's a few ways I'm re-igniting the flame we once had. Duathlon/Triathlon Training My not-so-secret goal is to complete a triathlon for my 30th birthday. I've got a few years to go, so what better way to get a jump on it than with duathlons? It's perfect since I'm still working on my swim strokes. Basically, duathlons are triathlons without swimming and consists of one leg of running, followed by one leg of cycling and ending with another leg of running. I'm debating on the Cape Henry Duathlon . Want to find one in your hood? Visit www.active.com. Ragnar Relay Series I have to give my husband credit for introducing me to the Ragnar Relay Series. What is it, you ask? Imagine running 200 miles with 11 of your closest friends. Nightmare or totally awesome? I say totally awesome! I'm picturing a 16 passenger van with Black Girls RUN! plastered on the side, with loud music, healthy snacks and hilarity. Who's down? Mud Runs When I first heard of these mud runs, I vowed that I would never do such a thing. After all, I lean more toward the prissy side of the equation. But when you're bored, you'll try anything. These runs typically aren't just full of mud, they are also full of obstacle courses. Some of the most notable mud runs are the Merrell Down & Dirty National Mud Run Series and the Original Mud Run which benefits the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. I definitely see some mud in my near future. So, it's okay to get bored. It happens to the best of us. Luckily, the sporting world is getting creative and giving those of us with with S.R.A.S. (short running attention spans) with something and new to keep our love for running alive.

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