Great Expectations

The big goal last Saturday was to run 10 miles to prepare for a half marathon in June. I was pretty pumped about getting out there and getting back on track after a few weeks of only 6 mile runs. I have done a better job of running on 2 other times during the week, so I was expecting a little more effort on my part for the 10 miles, but I was feeling good about the run. I should have been a little more concerned with the heat as it was in the upper 80s when I ventured out for the run in 1pm. I was feeling real good for the first 2 miles and I even left myself a water bottle on my front steps so I would have some fluid to replenish myself at mile 3. Then things got real tough. Miles 4-5 were pretty difficult. I felt drained of energy and I was having a difficult time even picking my feet up off the ground. My muscles and breathing were fine, but I felt zapped. I barely made it back home at 6.5 miles and I knew I couldn't achieve my goal of running 10 miles. I wasn't feeling too pleased with myself at not being able to run more than 7 miles. I just figured I've have to keep plugging away and hope my endurance would catch up.

This past week I did my two 6 to 7 mile runs and I realized I should probably run in the morning to avoid the incredible heat we have received. I think it has helped. So, I ventured out this morning with the same goal of running 10 miles. There was a big difference running this morning in the cooler weather than last week. I was feeling good again between miles 1-3. I hit a little bit of a wall on mile 4, but with some determination I pushed through it and was feeling good for miles 5-6. Then the real wall hit at mile 7. I still had 3 miles left and I felt like I was shuffling along like those old mall walkers. Actually they were jogging faster that I was for miles 8-9. However, at least I was able keep running and I didn't stop to walk. Then came mile 9. 1 mile to go and I was feeling it. My legs ached and my feet were burning. I had .5 of a mile to go and I didn't know I would make it without stopping, but I'd gone this far and I wasn't going stop now. I pushed and pushed and the end was in sight as I got to the end of my street. I could hear the cheers as I was yards away. YES! I had finished and ran all 10 miles. I have never been so exhausted, but the wonderful sense of accomplishment is overpowering my weariness. I looked up my route on http://www.usatf.org/routes/map/ and as it turns out I actually ran 10.32 miles today. Its a great feeling overcoming ones self-doubts and accomplishing a personal best of running 10.32 miles in 1 hour and 40 minutes. The next step is to keep up this pace and increase the miles each week and not take too many weekends off.

That's it for now, gotta run.