Forever Pace

Time for a running update!

I've been really excited and motivated with my half-marathon training. I hope the motivation continues even when I get stressed out with school. Yesterday I ran 6 miles with Tristan and it felt great! We ran just a little over a 9-minute per mile pace. It was the first time -ever- that I'd run 6 miles continuously! Each new distance from here on out will be uncharted territory. I'm excited to get up to higher mileage, but I'm sticking to my training schedule and trying not to advance too quickly. I know that my body needs some time to adjust to the demands I'm making on it. Slow and steady- that's my goal for training and for the race!

Even though I'm enthusiastic about running now, sometimes I still don't want to go out and run. A few days ago, I was supposed to run 3 miles, but I really didn't want to. It was one of those lazy days where I just didn't feel like doing anything active. I was curled up on the couch watching TV and I really wanted to stay there. Yet I still dragged myself outside and struggled through those 3 miles. It was horrible. I got stomach cramps and just couldn't seem to find the right pace. It didn't make sense to me-  just two days before I had run 5 miles and felt fine the entire time! But that happens, I think. You have good days and bad days. It takes a lot more spirit to keep fighting on the bad days. I'm more proud of myself for making it through the 3 tough miles that day than for the 5 easy miles.

Speaking of which, I actually like longer distances better now! It's weird- I always thought 3 miles was so far! But once you get up to 5 and 6 miles, 3 is almost a sprint. When I'm only running three, I feel like I have to run faster, and then I don't get into a good rhythm. When I run longer distances, I sometimes fall into an amazing pace where I feel like I can run forever! I get that runner's high- pure adrenaline- and it's just one foot after the other, mile after mile. I call it my "forever pace" and I LOVE it when I can hit that stride. It's one of the best feelings in the world.