Last week was hard for me for reasons other than distance related. I've already resigned myself to the fact that I'm a runner who takes walking breaks and that's not a bad thing. Last week I had a hard time on Monday because I couldn't breathe, BUT still got out and did my run. Wednesday didn't happen because I woke up in too much pain/discomfort to want to go out so I postponed that run to Thursday morning. We did the Wednesday distance in the morning and then the 2 miler in the afternoon with Mary. Eight mile long run on Saturday...and now I'm ready for rest...haha. Rest in the form of easy training runs.
This morning I got a little "crazy" and decided I really like loops and not out and back courses. So after I got Mr. Decaf taken care of I got ready to head out for my run; Tom is testing out a new run schedule for himself so he left a little after 4:30. We passed each other within 5 minutes of the start of my run and as I was getting used to running alone (again) I was thinking about how I really didn't want to go to a turn around spot and run the same thing again only in reverse. So I decided to get brave and do a little cut-through route between neighborhoods which would be a loop instead of a out 'n back course.
Once I arrived at the beginning of the short trail I mustered up all of the courage I had and went for it. I know, I'm a little dramatic, but hey...it's creepy to run on a trail (less than a quarter mile) all by myself...anything could happen! The trail is a very short wooded area with a trickle of a creek that runs through it...and when it's dark I wouldn't consider running it, but it was getting very light fast so I thought why not.
I made it...without too much of a creepy vibe!
The other thing that probably isn't making my run easy at this point is that I decided that I would totally run down to another foot bridge and run all the way up the other side. My mental block on this one is the going down part going West. It is plain ol' weird. The surface changes from weird sidewalk to uneven paved driveway entrances two or three times. Also, the last part of the descent is at a weird grade (to me) and not comfortable to run down. I told myself that I would totally go down to the bridge without stopping...no matter what my body wanted to do. THEN the other challenge was to go up the other side which is a little on the steep side and make it all the way up to the corner.
I'm pretty skilled at self-talking myself out of just about anything that might be a little uncomfortable. If there were a not so positive super power that would be mine.
BUT - I made it to the corner - only by telling myself that I would give myself a good, healthy walking break if I did indeed make it to the top! It's the little things :)
All in all, easy training run #1 was a good experience and I had a sub-13 pace, which makes me happy because I would really like to get a little faster. I feel like with all the effort that I am putting into running I'm hovering around the same times. Unless somehow my body is suffering in one way or another, making it difficult to improve.
The rest of the week should be a piece of cake! 33 days until Vancouver Half!
No comments:
Post a Comment