If you'd asked me at mile 4 today, I would have said I absolutely did not have it today. The plan was an easy 6 mile run. I'm still recovering from whatever I had last week, so I figured 6 miles was a good number to shoot for on my long run this week. Speedwise, I just wanted to finish in an hour.
I took my amphipod full of nuun (I am SO addicted to that stuff) and one Gu Vanilla (just in case I felt up for some extra miles BWAAAHAHAHA). Mile 1 was an utterly unimpressive downhill mile in 9:59. Mile 2 was an incredibly difficult uphill in 9:53. So difficult, in fact, that I walked and ate my Gu. I don't think I've EVER needed a Gu before 5 miles before. I think the combination of this being the fourth day in a row of running and eating a very early, small breakfast caught up to me.
Mile 3 took 10:05 because of the Gu, but I managed to pick it up for mile 4 and hit 9:20. It was all downhill (and not in a good way) from there. 4 miles was my absolute minimum and once I hit it, it was all mind games. Run to the next car. Run to the next street. Run to the next driveway. 5 miles done, but oops, at least a half mile from home. Oh, heck, trudge another couple of blocks away from home.
I finally manage to finish a total of 7.2 miles in under 72 minutes.
So, did I have "it" today? Not in a physical sense as there was nothing easy about this "easy" run, but I figure if I could finish more than 7 miles when my body was done at 4, I definitely had it mentally!
16 comments:
Way to go, Mama. To be feeling so crummy at mile 2 and push through 7+ is awesome.
ohh man I know how you feel, this is how I felt during my half marathon...I needed gu at 4 miles and usually I can run like 20 without it...just wasn't happening that day
way to push on!!
ugh i hate days like that!!! but wow you made it through!
new blog for me ... completely for running and nothing else...give or take ;o)
bostondreampie.blogspot.com
wow. Now THAT is the mental game that I lack :) Well done.
Wow! Very impressive! Way to go! I ran MCM in 2007 and 2008! What an awesome race!
Good job pushing through, you are mentally strong!
we all have good days and bad days!
The bad days make us appreciate the good that much more. Way to fight through and finish w/ 7! That's awesome!
Way to go pushing thru. My mind usually gets the best of me. That's impressive that you went over 3 miles more than you wanted to!
i've recognized that running is as much physical as it is mental... i need to use mind games all the time. Great job! Hope you get fully recovered soon!
Some days you got it and some days you don't. I hate that feeling. Extra kudos for going on when you were already 'done.'
Nice job pushing yourself for those extra few miles!
Girl, pushing through that "done" feeling is a HUGE victory!!
It's a big accomplishment to get that run in when you're not feeling it . . . and you've been sick too. Way to get out there!
As much as I know that every runner has days like these, it's still so helpful and affirming to see another runner describe one of those days so honestly. THANKS. I'll keep you in mind next time I have one myself.
Bad day done, it's just penance to get to all those good days :)
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