Distance: 3.08 miles
Time: 42-44ish minutes?
Plan: Run 2.5 miles straight with no walking breaks
Today's run was about proving something to myself. After what felt like an awful run on Saturday, I had to come out of the gates on fire. While I wasn't exactly on fire today (note my time above), I just tried to be as consistent as possible while running as long as I could without stopping. I'm still unsure about my actual time since I completely forgot what time I left the house by the time I got home, which is too bad. Also disappointing is the fact that I do know that it was over 40 minutes. I don't really understand how, when I'm running longer than I've ever run without breaks, I still manage to go slower than when I take a good amount of walk breaks. I know I'm no speed demon out there, but do I really run slower than I walk??
Let's break it down, shall we? I started off by walking 5 minutes as a warm-up. I then ran for what I'm guessing was about 18.5 minutes, which equates to 1.5 miles and a little over a 12 minute mile. (That seems about right, for what I've been running so far.) I took a walking break for about 4 minutes, though it could've been longer I guess. I ran this uphill segment for about a minute and slowed to walk again for another 2 minutes before finishing with a 6.5 minute running segment and 6 minute walk back home to cool down. I guess that really does work out to that time total. That seems a little discouraging, but I need to keep focusing on the fact that I ran farther today at one time than I have since I was probably 19 or 20. When you think about it that way, it's pretty uplifting! If nothing else, it's progress! (I know I also need to keep in mind the fact that I'm incorporating both the warm up and cool down walking periods into my time, which probably shouldn't be.)
It certainly wasn't easy though. I wasn't but probably a minute or two into the run when my right shin started burning. I figured I just didn't stretch it enough and I hadn't run in a couple days so it probably just needed a little time to settle in. The shin pain eventually went away only to return toward the end of the first long running segment (which was actually the reason I stopped short of the goal distance). I also had to keep distracting myself again. There were segments that I had to keep inwardly reciting, "Just keep putting one foot in front of the other, one foot in front of the other, one foot IN FRONT OF THE OTHER!!" At times, I would catch myself feeling really tense and really just loathing what I was doing. It was then that I would gently remind myself, "Steph, this is supposed to be fun! Remember? You like this! This is fun!" Once I did, I would relax my shoulders and arms as well as my legs and I would feel better for a little while. I guess this is an initial really major thing that I'm learning: that I really can talk myself through the run and push myself farther. I know I still have a long way to go with this, but I think that may be the most encouraging part about today's run for me. I'm starting to learn to handle the mental aspect better! Hooray! If I can conquer that, then I can conquer this running thing after all!
Oh yeah, and just in case anyone's keeping track, Moby is not good running music!
COMING UP: Greater Maitland 5K (11 days!)
TO DO: Buy Nike+ Sportwatch (Just found out my company will reimburse me for it! So excited!!)
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