Sunday, May 8, 2011

This is why I run

Because some days you go out there, and achieve something you never thought possible.

 (and, I swear this is correctly rotated, but blogger has a mind of its own).

I ran 10 miles yesterday, and honestly, I'm still surprised about it. I am so, so happy that I stuck with running & didn't give up on all of the days when it was less than fun. And this run? It was one of the best yet in terms of enjoyment. I have had plenty of four mile runs that hurt a lot more. All of you people who have been saying that the first 3-5 miles are the worst? You are so very right! I could have gone further (can't believe I'm even saying that), but wanted to save a little bit for today, as I have another run planned.

Details:
I ran the first three miles with my friend, and then she took off for home, because she wasn't planning to run 10. She's not crazy like me. :-) It took us 35+ minutes for that segment, and then I stopped for a little water. I finished the next 7 miles in 74 minutes, so almost exactly at the pace I wanted to be at of 10 min/mile. I walked the home stretch of .26 miles, and stopped to pick up my water bottle that I had hidden, etc.

I tried fueling for the first time ever,and took one Gu chomp at mile 3, 7, & 9. I had some very mild cramping at mile 8, but not sure if it was related to the Gu, or just the running. Oh, and I brought one bottle of water & hid it in the woods, but planned the last half of the run around the area on the map marked by a drinking fountain. This would prove to be a colossal mistake, because when I got to the water fountain & saw that it was broken, I seriously almost cried. To the old man that saw me at the drinking fountain, & brought me a (sealed) bottle of water out of the back of your truck? You are my new best friend & your kindness was so appreciated. And yes, I was thirsty enough that I drank water out of the back of a complete stranger's truck.

Me, after my first DOUBLE DIGIT run!


I got a little emotional when I walked the last stretch home, because this is honestly something I never thought I could have done. Ever. And, I did it. I started running in February, and couldn't run a mile without stopping. Running gives me a sense of progress & personal achievement, and that's one of the reasons why I run. That, and it helps my butt not jiggle. :-)

Oh, and Mother Nature? For the extremely brief & beautiful sunshine break in the middle of the monsoon yesterday that perfectly coincided with my run? Many thanks. You know I needed it.
PS - I got a TON of beach treats for the giveaway next week. Can't wait!

Question of the day - when was the last time you pushed yourself to a new level (pace, distance, etc)? How did you feel when I was over?

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms out there!

8 comments:

  1. Congrats on your first double-digit run!! Doesn't it feel awesome?!?

    Happy Mother's Day, too!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congratulations, what a huge achievement!
    What a sweet man to give you water like that, how wonderful!
    :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Congrats on the double digit run! I just started running and even though I can’t even run a full mile yet I get a little bit farther every time I get outside. It is very encouraging! And reading your blog is inspiring!

    Happy Mothers day!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Aww congratulations!!! I love that feeling of accomplishment. I had a great 7 mile run Monday night that I was so stoked about because I kept a faster-than-normal pace the whole time.

    You are ROCKIN! Happy Mother's Day, your kiddos sure are lucky to have you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow congratulations!!! That is amazing. I never believe anyone when they say the first 3-5 miles are the worst, but obviously I've never run farther than that. Congratulations on everything that you've accomplished so far, and Happy Mother's Day!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm so excited for you! What a nice old man to give you water, I totally would have drank a sealed bottle of water from a stranger. :) You should probably look into getting a hydration belt or something because running in the summer without water always on hand is no fun!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Go you!!! Woo hoo. Yep yep yep the first 3-4 are the hardest for me, then it's cruise control & a runners high like no other. High five to you!! ::)

    ReplyDelete