Shifting Gears

It's all very well and good to talk about shifting gears as I did in my post last week.  How carefree and seamless the process seems!  "I have found in the past that when I reach 30 miles, I simply shift into another gear.  My running surges ahead a little more easily as I shift into that higher gear; everything becomes a little easier, feels more natural." 

One can almost picture me in my sports car scampering around another turn in the road, smoothly shifting gears - simply shifting gears!  In reality, the process is not like that at all.  The gears are not bright primarily colors as depicted above, but rusty old parts, perhaps wobbling a bit or missing a gear tooth here and there, clogged with the sludge of old gear oil. 

So despite my new shoes, this week as I tried to maintain that ambitious 30-mile goal I mysteriously found my left foot cramping up, my right knee hurting.  Little "niggles" as we like to say.  The gears are grinding just a little bit.  And it is July now and it is hot, dammit! 

Still, I have to trust that I will get there eventually.