Running Update: The Good and The Bad

Last week was a pretty good week for us. We are getting stronger and a little faster. I have been averaging 12.5 minute miles (slow, I know). So Saturday was our long run of the week, 22 minutes. This actually was an enjoyable run for me. I even kinda sprinted the last little bit. For this run, we chose to run Pantano (the major street that we live next to), partly because it is easy to tell how far we have run, and partly because the first 0.6 of the mile is uphill. I would always rather start uphill and end down. So the run went up for 0.6, slight down for 0.4, then we ran back the way we came so slight up for 0.4, then down for 0.6. I was able to run 2 miles in 22 minutes, shaving 1.5 minutes off of my average mile time. Whoo hoo! I love seeing improvement.

With the good, comes the bad. Yesterday's run was not nearly what I had hoped it would be. It was to be a 20 minute run. We decided to run a different street (Escalante, downhill to start, then all uphill). This run was NOT fun at all. I think I was ready to collapse about 5 minutes into the run. (I think part of the problem was that I ran a couple of sprints yesterday morning, not a good idea. The other part was all about fuel, bad fuel=bad run. So Valentine's candy is a bad thing to eat before a run, go figure.) I ran the first 0.6 of a mile, then I had to walk (something I haven't had to do for weeks). From there, it just got worse. On the run back, I think I might have whined a lot, and cried a little. Everything hurt! So we ended up running about 1.5 miles in 17 minutes and at that point, I could go no further. It was warm yesterday and I overheated. When I got home, I hosed off (horray for cool water) and stretched. I am still sore and we have a 24 minute run today. :(

I will let you know after our run how we do today. Positive thinking. I CAN DO IT! Actually, something that helps me is something I read in Runner's World. A runner was talking about what she thinks when the run is the hardest and she said that she just repeats in her mind Dory's little song. 'Keep on swimming. Just keep swimming." If you see me running and I have a glazed, but kinda silly look, you will know for sure what is going through my head ;)