I haven't been very good about updating the blog this past week. Shame on me! My reason is mostly that I didn't have much to post about, until yesterday.....
After my 8 miler last Sunday, I flew to Boston Monday morning and didn't come home until close to midnight on Wednesday. This required me to rearrange my running schedule a bit and get a 4 miler in Tuesday evening after work. I really wanted to run outside in Boston, but two things kept this from happening; (1) I didn't bring any long sleeve shirts to run in and it was about 45 degrees when I set out to run, and (2) I worked later than anticipated and it was pitch black out when I got back to my hotel. No big deal, I'll run on the treadmill at the hotel.
Let me just preface this by saying that I have not run on a treadmill in YEARS. I can't even remember exactly how long it's been. I do not like treadmills; I like sidewalks and trails and things to look at other than my horrible pace on the dashboard. I got dressed in my running gear and headed downstairs. There was already a guy on one of the treadmills and all I could think about was how embarassing it would be if I fell off the damn thing (I did not fall off by the way). I jumped on and started walking while I got my music ready. After a few minutes I upped the speed and off I went, even though I was literally going nowhere. After a few minutes I was super bored and my legs were hurting pretty bad, so I took a walking break. All the while the guy next to me is pounding away never breaking stride (I secretly hated him). I started back up again only to take another walking break a few short minutes later. What the hell is wrong with me? It's only 4 miles, get it together! I am ashamed to report that I stopped the treadmill at 2 miles and called it good enough. I could not stand to be on that torture machine for one more second. I know that 2 miles is better than zero, even if I did walk more than usual, but I was seriously disspointed in myself.
Since Thursday was Halloween, I didn't attempt my next 4 mile short run for last week until Friday. I had a terrible day at work and was looking forward to blowing off steam on the trail. The temperature was perfect and I should've had just enough time to get 4 miles in before dark. Hubby and the boys went with me to play at the park near the trail while I ran. I took off and had the usual horrifying pain in my shins and calves. Something was different about this day mentally. I just couldn't push through. I quit after 1 mile and sat on a park bench and cried. I felt absolutely ridiculous crying over something so silly, but I was completely and utterly defeated by this run. I sat there wondering how I was ever going to make it 9 miles on Sunday.
Sunday rolled around and I had the typical nerves all day. I psych myself out all day long worrying about the impending doom that I will face on the trail. Thankfully an old high school friend was going to be joining me. I'm so glad she did because I don't think I would've finished if she hadn't been there. She didn't run it for me and she didn't really make it any easier than it would have been otherwise, but her presence alone pushed me to finish (thank you Sandy). We started at 41st and Riverside and took off south for 1-1/2 miles before turning back around. This entire stretch was excruciating and I remember asking Sandy "is it supposed to feel like this?" - she said no and we kept plodding along. I have no idea what my intervals were for this run because I just ran when I felt like it and took walking breaks when I needed to. When we reached the parking lot where the cars were we took a quick break to stretch and drink some water. Hubby and the boys left at that point and we took off north for the remaining 6 miles. Somewhere around the mile 4 mark I realized that my legs were warmed up and were no longer hurting. I spent the next 2 miles or so in relative bliss due to the lack of pain. I had just finished telling Sandy that my upper legs are always fine but from the knees down it's complete misery. I was lucky enough to have these 2 miles to enjoy, and oh how wonderful they were! It's amazing what a difference it makes when you just push through the pain and get your legs warmed up. Now that I have experienced this first hand I think it'll make things easier going forward. Just after 6 miles I started to get very fatigued. I had a carb gel at mile 2.5 and 6, but I needed a lot more energy than what I had in my system. My sides began to hurt from breathing, I could just feel the exhaustion in my legs, but we kept moving. It was almost easier to run at this point than to walk. We were headed back south and the wind was a bit chilly. Those last few miles weren't that bad. What almost killed me was the last few hundred feet. It was like being able to see the finish line but it was just moving further and further away. I was so happy to finish this run, not because I wanted it to be over, but because I proved to myself that I can do this. I was completely spent last night when I got home, but it was so worth it.
Stats: 9 miles, 2 hours 11 minutes 40 seconds, 14'36"/mile
With October over, I am able to report my mileage for the month. Total miles came to 50.14 (11 total runs) and an overall average pace of 14'26" per mile. This is compared to September at 31.64 miles (11 total runs) and an average pace of 14'58" per mile. I didn't get in as many miles as I wanted to in October, but I am still improving and that's all I can really ask for. I know I'm going to have bad days and not get my mileage in. The key is to keep moving forward and let it just roll off, because honestly, it's not the end of the world.
I'm going to take some advice from my sister and repeat these three words from now until the race.
I. GOT. THIS.
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