On Monday after I got home from work I pulled up Google Maps and plotted a six mile route around my neighborhood and the surrounding areas. I laced up my running shoes, grabbed Scout and headed out the door. I didn’t have great expectations for myself. Though my last two runs had gone exceptionally well (in regards to their being free of panic attacks and have-to-walk-a-bit moments), I had been neglecting my workout program for 4 days. I didn’t expect to be able to run the entire 6 miles. I expected to get to 5, maybe, then to walk for a bit. I expected to want to die around mile 3 like usual. I expected that at the top of each and every one of the hills I would have to grit my teeth and work hard to talk myself into keeping my running pace. Jogging pace. Anything faster than walking pace.
Sometimes when I run, the first 10 minutes are the hardest. But on Monday the “hard minutes” were over by minute 7. Somewhere around mile 2.5, I found that I wasn’t hurting anymore. I’m not sure if this sensation is what runners are talking about when they refer to “a runner’s high,” but I did appreciate the escape from the pain. As I passed 4.6 miles, my previous farthest-run record, I laughed to myself and thought I could go on running like that forever. When I got to 5.5 miles I started to feel pain in places where I’d never felt pain from running before. Soon after that I saw my GPS/Run Timer include a “1″ before the minute counter. I had been exercising–running–for over an hour. Me. A girl who less than 6 months ago had legitimate difficulty running for 3 minutes at a time. I couldn’t believe it. The sheer glee from seeing my run-timer turn the hour mark gave me enough energy to finish the last half-mile through the aches and pains I was feeling in my hips, knees and ankles. I hobbled around for the rest of the night like a grandma, trying to gently stretch the tightness out of my calves and hamstrings. And smiling the whole time.
Six freaking miles. I can’t even believe it myself. I am a person who can run six miles, in a row, no stopping.
The first two miles are always the hardest for me. People don’t always believe me, but it’s really not that hard to run ten miles with practice once your body adjusts to the running.
Congrats on finishing six miles!
I find that very inspiring.
I enjoy reading your thoughts on running because they’re exactly the way I felt training for my first half marathon.
I remember after mile three, every Sunday was exciting because I was going to run a mile further than I’d ever run before. Every Sunday was a record breaking day for me. lol
legendary, congrats
Good job! I think for me I can run the distance easier when I have it mapped out and know how much longer until I make it home. And I tell myself that I can only walk when I think I’m going to pass out. It’s good motivation.