Getting It Done

I tried and tried to get in my last long run (a 10 miler) over the weekend but all it did was rain, rain, rain. I swear every time I hit the streets, I would see lightning and have to high-tail it back inside. But I knew I had to do this long run this weekend to prove to myself that I was half-marathon ready (which is in ten days!). So I had no choice but to get up early on Monday morning to get it done.

A ten miler is a two hour plus run for me. That is crazy to do on a Monday morning before work. But when you have a dream to complete the Dumbo Double Dare in Disneyland, what else can you do? 

I struggled to fall asleep on Sunday night, as I always do, because I'm typically well rested from the weekend. But I also struggle to sleep when I have a BIG run coming up. So sleep was never going to happen. I hadn't gone over 8 miles all summer, and it just seemed crazy hard in my mind.

I woke up at 2:30 and could not get back to sleep, so I went ahead and dragged my butt out of bed. And I was just ready to get going. So I very crazily (and maybe unsafely) started my run a little bit after 3 a.m.

Whether or not it was safe, it felt good to be pounding the pavement before the sun came up with no one around. I never saw one car on the road the entire time, it was so peaceful. 

Due to health issues, heat, or whatever, I've slowed a bit over the summer. In the spring, I was in the low part of the 13 min miles (sometimes in the 12's), but I've been averaging a little over 14 minutes lately.  But I'm OK with that. I don't beat myself up over "slow times," but I do celebrate the "faster times." So I was pleased when my first mile was a sub 14 mile (about 13:50).

I was even happier because my splits remained consistent throughout the whole run, and I never even touched a 14 minute miler. I did feel a little tired about mile 4 and mile 7, but I was able to fix that with some cliff gels and stopping for water every mile.

I finished right as the sun came up. My completed time was 2 hours and 19 minutes (a full 12 minutes before the time my Nike app predicted I would run it in).

I finished strong. I sat on the front porch a while, just soaking up the victory of it, and thinking about how far I've come.

I was proud, and although I was tired all day, it was worth it. It made me feel ready. I may not finish fast, but I'm thinking I can finish. That is all I care about it.

I'm still a little nervous. But that is probably good, because I never want to be cocky! The only thing that scares me is the back to back runs (a 10k followed by the half the next day). But I'm looking forward to the challenge.

 Here goes nothing.

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