It was a dark and stormy morning. The kind that makes you want to pull the blankets up, swat the alarm clock across the room and forget the outside world exists. This was not the morning I would have naturally picked to haul my sorry carcass out of bed to run endlessly around town. But this was the morning I had after missing a chance yesterday for an afternoon run. Three hours to get up, get running, get done and get on the road to the next task.
Twelve miles. An intimidating total run larger than what I had been doing weekly before training began eight weeks ago. The training plan calls for 10:22/mile, a pace I've never managed to keep. My long runs tend to start fast, then slow and speed up irregularly, and end walking. Not exactly the measured pace I'm supposed to keep. Today I was aiming for a slow start and a steady finish. And somehow, some way, I did it.
I ran every step of 12 miles. No walking in the middle. No dragging feet at the end. Just running. The sound of jogging feet and deep breathing. The showers at the beginning weren't steady but did keep the pollen down, at 8 miles the rain started for real, but by then I was in the happy place. The place where it wasn't really so much like running as moving from location to location. Noticing the scenery, mind free to wander, just me and the run.
And best of all, I think I could've done 1.1 more today.
p.s. I've been tagged for a meme I'll try and get to tomorrow.
2 comments:
I was tagged by Monkeygirl, too. I'm new to the whole "blog" thing. Like your writings--you're specific, so I'm not wondering "what time was it, how fast, etc" like I do with other people. OCD? Nope, just...weird. Me, I mean. Not you. (I have no social skills.)
You almost made me want to start running. :)
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