Run 12, 13, 14

This was seriously the best idea. There is no way I would have run this much or trained this hard if I wasn't doing this with a friend (my awesome friend Miranda). I feel strong. I feel accomplished. I feel like an actual runner and I never feel like an actual runner. I think I'll be able to do this and that's a cool, cool feeling.

Run 12

I had been sick and didn't do much for a week. Head cold. Congestion. Fatigue. Yuck. So, when I felt semi better I ran 3.08 miles at a 11:22/mile pace which took me 35:01 minutes and I felt pretty weak. But I knew the run would be bad since I had taken time off and had been sick. I had to remind myself . . . "hey wait a minute, you feel like this was a bad run, but you still just ran 3 miles, not too shabby."


Run 13

Distance 3.52, pace 10:56/mile, time 38.30. A couple days later I made it 3 1/2 and felt a lot better. I upped my pace and felt much stronger than I had during the previous run. Since I pretty much suck at cross training I did a little bicycling after, but very little, maybe 10 minutes.


Run 14

So, I had this long run hanging over me. I knew I had to do it, but I spent Sunday going to a movie and taking a 3 1/2 hour family nap (family meaning me and my 2 cats). I felt crappy afterward and had little desire to do anything. But I did. Two 5 mile runs with about a 3 minute break between them. First 5 miles: time: 57:04, distance: 5.01, pace 11:23/mile. Second 5: time 57:30, distance: 5.01, pace 11:28/mile.

It's odd that I basically ran for 2 hours. The first mile was easy. The second fine. The third was a challenge. I think mile 3 is a hump mile for me, just have to push through that. The first mile used to be hard for me, now it feels like I'm not really working at all during that first mile. Mile 4 and 5 felt strong. Music really really really helps. I need to work on a few more playlists to keep me always unsure of what song could be coming next.

Second 5 miles was pretty easy for the first 3 or so. I was in the zone. I had a playlist going that I hadn't heard in ages with a bunch of Spanish/Latin music that I really enjoyed hearing. The last 2 miles were a little brutal. I know the gel pack I had around mile 6 helped a lot, but my legs got heavy and I just felt DONE. I was a sweat machine, just drenched. "Kickstart My Heart" really helped me make the last 1/2 mile or so. That being said I still felt like I could have gone on if I had needed to.

It's pretty awesome that nothing really hurts. I can run 10 miles, for almost 2 hours and feel tight, but basically pain-free. I know I'll be sore today and tomorrow and I'll need some Biofreeze, which helps my sore muscles so much, but nothing really hurts hurts. My bad foot/ankle feels totally fine. My legs felt good (although I know cross training would still help). My lungs feel like lungs of steel. Well, my big toe on my right foot hurts. That's it though.

Anyway, thank GOD for a challenge. Thank GOD for good friends. Thank GOD for being healthy enough to do this. I'm still nervous about 13.1, but I know it's going to be awesome.