Saturday I was up early to meet a friend for a run before joining up with the half marathon training group. I had 13 miles on my schedule for the day and the training group was only doing 6 miles. Jody and I met up at 6AM and headed out on a route that would take us across a portion of town different from what the training group was doing.
We had a great run and ended up getting in 6.6 miles. We walked into the activity center just after 7AM and still got to hear most of Mike's talk over nutrition and proper water stop etiquette. It is so fun to watch the training program participants during Mike's talks each week. They hang on every word that he says and are so eager to learn and progress on their journey. So many of the participants are first time half marathoners and it is truly amazing to talk to them and hear their stories. Every week our group run is the longest run many have ever done.
Back to the run...with the training group we headed out on a lollipop loop that covered the first 5 miles of the course. Some of the ladies on the Rush team worked a water stop around mile 4. I stopped and helped them pick up water cups when I passed. Frankly I was at mile 10.6 for my day at that point and needed a stop. I was overdressed for the temps and probably needed more fuel up to that point. The stretching that I got from bending over and picking up the cups felt pretty great too...bonus and helped out the group!
I finished up the run and still needed about 1/2 mile to finish my distance for the day. I headed back out to cheer others in as they were finishing. Once I got done I did some stretching and then headed with another friend to a local coffee shop for breakfast. Jody and her husband joined us once she was done and we had a great time catching up. It was a great morning...my runs were good and the company before and after was great too.
After that I headed home and cleaned up. I met up with my sister and her family for lunch later and shortly thereafter I developed pain in my foot. It was so odd since I had such a great run and hadn't done anything during the run to hurt it. I've never had foot pain like this before so of course my mind went to the worst possible scenario...stress fracture. I iced my foot but the pain continued...but mainly just when walking.
On Monday, I made an appointment with an ortho and went today to have it checked out. Good news...the x-ray doesn't show a fracture. Bad news...rest and anti-inflammatories and wait and see if it improves with rest. I can keep up cardio like swimming and biking as long as I don't feel pain. Running is off the table since walking causes pain. It is likely tendinitis (Dr. speak for overuse injury!) along the tendons that run along the side of my foot. I feel like it's a bit of a mystery...I thought my training plan was conservative so overuse doesn't seem right but I also don't feel like it was an injury either.
I'm 3 weeks out from my 25K and just a little nervous about this set back. I'm hopeful that I can knock this out with some rest. I'll be wearing comfy shoes as much as I can to work and hope that helps too. Wish me luck!
Showing posts with label long runs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label long runs. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Finally an Answer
Today I met up with my friend Rhonda for an 8 mile run. We have been trying to do our long runs together since we run about the same pace and are both training for the Bentonville Half Marathon on March 31st.
It was a beautiful morning for a run with temps around 54 when we started. We did a portion of the race course for our run and added on a section in order to get in the distance we wanted with an easy route. The route was perfect except for one section that was straight into the wind and slightly uphill. It was barely an incline but with the wind blowing strongly in our faces it felt tough! We were so happy to finally make a turn and get a crosswind instead of a headwind.
We finished up with a short walk to cooldown. They are just starting construction on a new hotel near our downtown square and it is fun to check out the progress. Our walk essentially took us around the building site. Afterwards, we took a few minutes to stretch on the downtown square. I had been plagued by a pebble during our run so I decided to take off my shoe and fix that. A few weeks ago I realized that sometimes pebbles were hiding under my inserts and so I took my insert out in order to get to the pebble. As I was doing this, I finally got an answer to my perma-blister on my left heel. Check out this picture and you can clearly see that my insert has a group of protrusions on the bottom to stabilize the heel.
Based on my wear pattern on the insert, the blister I keep getting lines up exactly with one of these protrusions.
I'm glad to figure out what could potentially be causing my blister. I'll test out my theory by switching back to the regular inserts that came with the shoes. I have been using these Superfeet inserts for the past few years to help with Morton's neuroma which is a tingling type of pain I sometimes get in my toes caused by having a 2nd toe longer than my big toe. Hopefully the regular inserts will work out okay for my feet but if not I'll have to check into some new inserts.
It was a beautiful morning for a run with temps around 54 when we started. We did a portion of the race course for our run and added on a section in order to get in the distance we wanted with an easy route. The route was perfect except for one section that was straight into the wind and slightly uphill. It was barely an incline but with the wind blowing strongly in our faces it felt tough! We were so happy to finally make a turn and get a crosswind instead of a headwind.
We finished up with a short walk to cooldown. They are just starting construction on a new hotel near our downtown square and it is fun to check out the progress. Our walk essentially took us around the building site. Afterwards, we took a few minutes to stretch on the downtown square. I had been plagued by a pebble during our run so I decided to take off my shoe and fix that. A few weeks ago I realized that sometimes pebbles were hiding under my inserts and so I took my insert out in order to get to the pebble. As I was doing this, I finally got an answer to my perma-blister on my left heel. Check out this picture and you can clearly see that my insert has a group of protrusions on the bottom to stabilize the heel.
Based on my wear pattern on the insert, the blister I keep getting lines up exactly with one of these protrusions.
I'm glad to figure out what could potentially be causing my blister. I'll test out my theory by switching back to the regular inserts that came with the shoes. I have been using these Superfeet inserts for the past few years to help with Morton's neuroma which is a tingling type of pain I sometimes get in my toes caused by having a 2nd toe longer than my big toe. Hopefully the regular inserts will work out okay for my feet but if not I'll have to check into some new inserts.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Hot Springs 10 Miler
Recently I travelled to Hot Springs, Arkansas for a work trip. I was in town for a fishing tournament and managed to sneak away one morning for a long run. My hotel was in town and close to Bathhouse row. Hot Springs is actually a National Park site that is really well tended by the National Park Service. There are a couple restored bath houses still in operation and you can spot the thermal springs around the town.
I headed out without a plan or route in mind. I wanted to try and get the 10 miles on my plan done but wasn't sure if I would. I went ahead an packed my water belt with Gu and a cold bottle of water. I went from my hotel to Bathhouse Row. There was a nice shade along the front of the bath houses and all the park service staff were out cleaning and doing yard work.
I ran for a little while and encountered a Y intersection. There was a sign nearby that contained a map for one of the tourist bus stops. I stopped and tried to figure out where I was on the map so that I could figure out a route. Thankfully a cafe worker came by and showed me where we were. She directed me back the way I had come from to the Arlington Hotel where I could take Fountain Street to a loop road that I could run on. This road is a 3 mile one-way road that leads to the Hot Springs Mountain Tower. That was definitely a new experience which included almost 1 1/2 miles of an uphill climb to the top. I wasn't very fast on the climb but I did make it to the top and the view was worth it.
I headed back down the mountain and then did some back and forth on the main road of Central Ave. I ended up back at my hotel doors at the 10 mile mark. It was a great turnout for an unplanned route.
One of the other fun things I discovered during my run were the free water stops. There are several mineral springs water dispensers throughout the town. The first one that I stopped at delivered cool water and I was pretty happy about it. I stopped at a different one a little while later and didn't notice the sign that stated it was a thermal water spring.
Yep, I filled my bottle with hot water. Not a good thing in mid-80 degree weather. I headed back to the first water stop and the locals were nice enough to let me skip the line and refill. It was crazy how much water they were filling up on. One person had a pickup bed full of different types of jugs that he was filling up. But hey, free mineral water isn't a bad thing!
I headed out without a plan or route in mind. I wanted to try and get the 10 miles on my plan done but wasn't sure if I would. I went ahead an packed my water belt with Gu and a cold bottle of water. I went from my hotel to Bathhouse Row. There was a nice shade along the front of the bath houses and all the park service staff were out cleaning and doing yard work.
I ran for a little while and encountered a Y intersection. There was a sign nearby that contained a map for one of the tourist bus stops. I stopped and tried to figure out where I was on the map so that I could figure out a route. Thankfully a cafe worker came by and showed me where we were. She directed me back the way I had come from to the Arlington Hotel where I could take Fountain Street to a loop road that I could run on. This road is a 3 mile one-way road that leads to the Hot Springs Mountain Tower. That was definitely a new experience which included almost 1 1/2 miles of an uphill climb to the top. I wasn't very fast on the climb but I did make it to the top and the view was worth it.
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| This is a view from my hotel to the Mountain Tower. |
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| After that hill, I enjoyed the flat road along Bathhouse Row |
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| In my defense, this sign did not face the street side so I totally missed it. |
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| Free water stops throughout the town. |
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Got Er Done!
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| Post-run with that oh so special sweaty glow! |
My training plan called for an 8-9 mile long run for this week. I am very happy to report that I completed my long run of 8 miles this morning. I haven't run that distance since July 3rd! It wasn't pretty but I covered the distance. My goal was to not worry about the pace and just get the distance done.
I got the run started at 6:45 and headed out along a local half marathon course. My original plan was to do an out and back to the four mile mark on the course to get to 8. Along the way I decided I just couldn't fathom returning along the same route. Occasionally there was a nice breeze but for the most part the sun and temps were tough. I altered the course and just stayed on the half marathon course. It worked out really well and my run ended in front of our new splash pad. The water jets were turned on so I dunked my head in one of the jets to start cooling off. My pace was about a minute slower than I would like but it wasn't too bad given my lack of consistent long runs. Building my running base is not as easy as building a base for swimming and cycling and I really have to focus on getting these long runs done for the next 8 weeks.
On deck for tomorrow, is a 40 mile bike ride followed by a short run. I'm meeting up with some friends at a local Military park that was the site of a civil war battle. There is a loop within the park that is around 7 miles long and includes a climb for every loop. I've never ridden out there so I'm looking forward to some new scenery.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Finally a Long Run Done
With the crazy heat so far this summer I have been a little lacking in motivation to do my long runs. I've been managing to get in around 5 miles distance each week and every few weeks getting in something in a little longer. This weekend I decided I was going to finally get my butt in gear and get my long run done.
I set my alarm clock to 5AM on Sunday so that I could get up and be done in time to watch Le Tour de France on Versus live for the exciting team time trial stage. Apparently my brain doesn't remember the plans it has made at 5AM because I promptly turned the alarm off and went back to sleep. I got up around 6:30 and then got myself dressed and ready to run. I was surprised that the couch didn't kidnap me but I managed to stay focused on going running.
I headed down to the Bentonville square which was decorated with flags for the 4th of July holiday weekend. Several other runners and friends were starting out their runs and I quickly said hello. I didn't linger and chat too much since it was now 7AM. My original goal was to do an out and back that would total 8 miles. I started out slow and easy since it was already warm. By mile 2 1/2 I had already drank about half of my bottle of water...not a good sign!
I decided to modify the out and back and head back to the car for a water refill. I took the whole run easy with walk breaks when I felt too hot and I carried a rag to keep the sweat out of my eyes. I made it back to the car and had already finished 5.6 miles of the run. Not bad except it was so hard to start back for the final miles to get to 8. I refilled my bottle from the water fountain in the square and took a couple sips of sports drink that I had in the car. I ran through town for the final few miles so that I could stay in the shade as much as possible but it was still a tough finish and I was so glad to hit the 8 mile on my Garmin.
A few post-run pics...
Surprisingly I wasn't too sore after the run which I have to think was because my pace was quite a bit slower than it should have been. I hate having to rebuild my base but that's where I am at with my fitness for long runs. I know if I keep at it I will adjust to the temps and my pace will get faster. I just have to do the runs in order to gain the fitness. This weekend I've got a triathlon on Sunday so I will probably try to do a mid-week longish run since I won't be able to do the long run.
And in case you were wondering...I am a total fan of Garmin-Cervelo and love the Argyle Armada. I didn't get home Sunday until around 9AM and had already missed their winning time trial. I did get to see some of the other top teams race during the live show and of course I watched the evening show too. Who are you rooting for in the tour?
I set my alarm clock to 5AM on Sunday so that I could get up and be done in time to watch Le Tour de France on Versus live for the exciting team time trial stage. Apparently my brain doesn't remember the plans it has made at 5AM because I promptly turned the alarm off and went back to sleep. I got up around 6:30 and then got myself dressed and ready to run. I was surprised that the couch didn't kidnap me but I managed to stay focused on going running.
I headed down to the Bentonville square which was decorated with flags for the 4th of July holiday weekend. Several other runners and friends were starting out their runs and I quickly said hello. I didn't linger and chat too much since it was now 7AM. My original goal was to do an out and back that would total 8 miles. I started out slow and easy since it was already warm. By mile 2 1/2 I had already drank about half of my bottle of water...not a good sign!
I decided to modify the out and back and head back to the car for a water refill. I took the whole run easy with walk breaks when I felt too hot and I carried a rag to keep the sweat out of my eyes. I made it back to the car and had already finished 5.6 miles of the run. Not bad except it was so hard to start back for the final miles to get to 8. I refilled my bottle from the water fountain in the square and took a couple sips of sports drink that I had in the car. I ran through town for the final few miles so that I could stay in the shade as much as possible but it was still a tough finish and I was so glad to hit the 8 mile on my Garmin.
A few post-run pics...
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| Finishing temps...it was a hot day and I'm glad I got out there when I did. |
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| I look awful...but so happy to be done! |
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| That would be my Swass (Sweaty As*) print after I sat down to stretch. |
And in case you were wondering...I am a total fan of Garmin-Cervelo and love the Argyle Armada. I didn't get home Sunday until around 9AM and had already missed their winning time trial. I did get to see some of the other top teams race during the live show and of course I watched the evening show too. Who are you rooting for in the tour?
Monday, May 30, 2011
A Mighty Wind Blows
It's as if Oklahoma wind has come to visit Arkansas the last few days. We have had serious wind gusts going on!
Yesterday I headed out for a bike ride with Britt. We were going to do the tower route from Britt's house which meant that we began the ride heading South straight into the wind. There were moments where it felt like we weren't moving at all. We prayed that the return trip would be easier with a tailwind. We got to our turn and discovered that the bridge was closed and we couldn't proceed on our route. We decided to be adventurers and see where the road we were on would take us. We ended up crossing the highway and taking a nice 4 lane road with wide shoulders that let us add on some mileage. The beauty was that it took us East/West without the wind bothering us too much. Our average pace for the 30 miles was a lot slower than normal but that makes sense with a 20mph wind as our constant companion.
After the bike ride, I headed out for a short brick run. Britt lives in a little valley so no matter what direction I went I had to go uphill. It wasn't a pretty run but I got in 1.5 miles and probably half of that was uphill.
Today I had my long run on deck and my goal was an easy 8 miles. I have let my long runs slip over the last month and I'm feeling the pain of having to rebuild that base. It was warm and humid out when I started at 8:45 but the wind was again blowing. Today I was enjoying the wind because it was helping to cool me down and keep the sweat from dripping in my eyes. It is definitely time to start taking a sweat rag with me during my runs! I know the pace was slower than it should be but given my lack of long runs and the heat I'm happy with it. I took walk breaks when I needed to and fought the urge to shorten my run. Oh yes, by mile 1 I was contemplating making it just a 3 mile run, then thinking of places where I could cut back to my car and shorten the mileage! It was a good mental exercise to keep going even though I didn't want to.
Yesterday I headed out for a bike ride with Britt. We were going to do the tower route from Britt's house which meant that we began the ride heading South straight into the wind. There were moments where it felt like we weren't moving at all. We prayed that the return trip would be easier with a tailwind. We got to our turn and discovered that the bridge was closed and we couldn't proceed on our route. We decided to be adventurers and see where the road we were on would take us. We ended up crossing the highway and taking a nice 4 lane road with wide shoulders that let us add on some mileage. The beauty was that it took us East/West without the wind bothering us too much. Our average pace for the 30 miles was a lot slower than normal but that makes sense with a 20mph wind as our constant companion.
After the bike ride, I headed out for a short brick run. Britt lives in a little valley so no matter what direction I went I had to go uphill. It wasn't a pretty run but I got in 1.5 miles and probably half of that was uphill.
Today I had my long run on deck and my goal was an easy 8 miles. I have let my long runs slip over the last month and I'm feeling the pain of having to rebuild that base. It was warm and humid out when I started at 8:45 but the wind was again blowing. Today I was enjoying the wind because it was helping to cool me down and keep the sweat from dripping in my eyes. It is definitely time to start taking a sweat rag with me during my runs! I know the pace was slower than it should be but given my lack of long runs and the heat I'm happy with it. I took walk breaks when I needed to and fought the urge to shorten my run. Oh yes, by mile 1 I was contemplating making it just a 3 mile run, then thinking of places where I could cut back to my car and shorten the mileage! It was a good mental exercise to keep going even though I didn't want to.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
What a difference one week makes in the South!
This morning I headed out for my long run and the temps were already nearing 60 degrees out. Whoo hoo that means Spring is on the way. Last week we had a mega snow storm on Wednesday and the snow was basically all melted by this Wednesday. It is crazy how fast the weather can change here.
Due to the two weeks of consecutive snows, I had 2 or 3 very low mileage weeks. This week has been all about returning to my normal mileage. I had a rough speed workout on Monday with toes that kept falling asleep while I was running. I modified the workout slightly but was able to finish it up even with the discomfort in my feet. My Wednesday run also had some toe pain but for the most part my pace wasn't too bad. I was a little nervous that my toes would bug me again today for my long run. Luckily they decided to cooperate and I was able to finish up a 10 mile long run. I have longer second toes than my big toes so sometimes I have neuroma pain while I run. It is usually after I have worn less supportive work shoes and my feet are fatigued going into the run. Nothing to worry about, just something that I have to work through!
The weather today was perfect...slightly cloudy, not too windy, and perfect temps. I think it helped me make it through with a faster pace because I felt like I was running much slower than I did. It was fun to see everyone out running and walking around town. I guess I'm not the only one who finds this nice weather motivating.
In a moment of weakness after my run Wednesday in the glorious evening temps, I might have signed up for a 20 mile bike time trial race on Sunday. I haven't had my bike outdoors in a few months so I'm anxious to see what kind of shape my trainer workouts have kept me in. Wish me luck!
Due to the two weeks of consecutive snows, I had 2 or 3 very low mileage weeks. This week has been all about returning to my normal mileage. I had a rough speed workout on Monday with toes that kept falling asleep while I was running. I modified the workout slightly but was able to finish it up even with the discomfort in my feet. My Wednesday run also had some toe pain but for the most part my pace wasn't too bad. I was a little nervous that my toes would bug me again today for my long run. Luckily they decided to cooperate and I was able to finish up a 10 mile long run. I have longer second toes than my big toes so sometimes I have neuroma pain while I run. It is usually after I have worn less supportive work shoes and my feet are fatigued going into the run. Nothing to worry about, just something that I have to work through!
The weather today was perfect...slightly cloudy, not too windy, and perfect temps. I think it helped me make it through with a faster pace because I felt like I was running much slower than I did. It was fun to see everyone out running and walking around town. I guess I'm not the only one who finds this nice weather motivating.
In a moment of weakness after my run Wednesday in the glorious evening temps, I might have signed up for a 20 mile bike time trial race on Sunday. I haven't had my bike outdoors in a few months so I'm anxious to see what kind of shape my trainer workouts have kept me in. Wish me luck!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Procrastination Rewarded
This weekend my running partner Anne was out of town. I had a 12 miler on the books for my long run and had every intention of getting up Saturday morning to run it. I even set my alarm for 6:15 so I could make it to the 7:00AM group run. I found out Friday that most people in the Saturday group run were only doing 5 miles which meant I was going to be out there much longer than anyone else, boo!
Saturday morning the alarm went off and there was some kind of odd pull that was keeping me stuck in bed. It was so warm under all the covers and my iPhone was showing an outside temp of 27 degrees. That just didn't sound appealing so I decided to stay in bed. The hourly forecast showed that the temps would warm once the sun was up and I kept telling myself that I could always go run later. Sadly, I just never got the motivation...I hardly ate anything so I kept thinking that I wasn't fueled properly to go out and run 12 miles. My ear was really bothering me and hurt quite a bit so that had me concerned about running in the cold and possibly getting an ear infection. You name it...I explored it as a reason for why I shouldn't run!
Saturday evening I met up with a friend and co-worker who I had told that I was going to run on Saturday. She picked on me for skipping the run and I promised that I would run on Sunday! Lori is notorious for picking on me when I don't hold to my running schedule! This morning came and the temps were warmer than yesterday. I had a little time challenge in getting up and moving so I didn't make it to the 6:30AM start for the group run. I got started around 7:00AM and figured that I would just need to take a picture of my Garmin when I finished to have proof for Lori that I had run!
The weather when I started was around 44 degrees and the sun was quickly rising. I had dressed in capris and a long sleeve shirt that has a fleecy inside texture. The fleece felt great for the first few miles but I could tell that in the sunnier sections of my route it was going to be too warm for me. I eventually ended up taking the long sleeve off and just wearing my short sleeve around mile 6.5.
I had picked an out-an-back route that would give me some easy hills and access to bathrooms since my tummy was a little upset. I settled into a pace after using the first couple miles for warm-up. I was avoiding looking at my Garmin because I didn't want to worry about my pace. Running alone can sometimes be a mental challenge for me in that I will psych myself out and lose confidence in myself. I wanted to just focus on running and not worry about times or splits.
I took Pineapple Roctane Gu around mile 4 and 7.5...during my second stop for Gu I looked down the street and noticed Lori running along. She passed me and just kept chugging along. I yelled after her and discovered that our routes were going to converge for the next 2 miles so I followed along behind her. I yelled up to her that this was saving me the trouble of having to email her a photo as proof that I had run! She chuckled on that one!
I finished up the run with 11.8 miles in 2 hours even. The last little bit was pretty tough...later when I reviewed my splits I saw that I had been picking up the pace over the final 4 miles which is why it felt so much harder. I really missed having my running partner there to keep me company but I was able to remind myself that I can rise up to the challenge when I believe in myself and turn off my brain and just run. I really do need the reminder to just "Shut Up and Run" sometimes! The weather was so much nicer today and it truly felt like I was rewarded with an awesome run for my procrastination of the day before!
Saturday morning the alarm went off and there was some kind of odd pull that was keeping me stuck in bed. It was so warm under all the covers and my iPhone was showing an outside temp of 27 degrees. That just didn't sound appealing so I decided to stay in bed. The hourly forecast showed that the temps would warm once the sun was up and I kept telling myself that I could always go run later. Sadly, I just never got the motivation...I hardly ate anything so I kept thinking that I wasn't fueled properly to go out and run 12 miles. My ear was really bothering me and hurt quite a bit so that had me concerned about running in the cold and possibly getting an ear infection. You name it...I explored it as a reason for why I shouldn't run!
Saturday evening I met up with a friend and co-worker who I had told that I was going to run on Saturday. She picked on me for skipping the run and I promised that I would run on Sunday! Lori is notorious for picking on me when I don't hold to my running schedule! This morning came and the temps were warmer than yesterday. I had a little time challenge in getting up and moving so I didn't make it to the 6:30AM start for the group run. I got started around 7:00AM and figured that I would just need to take a picture of my Garmin when I finished to have proof for Lori that I had run!
The weather when I started was around 44 degrees and the sun was quickly rising. I had dressed in capris and a long sleeve shirt that has a fleecy inside texture. The fleece felt great for the first few miles but I could tell that in the sunnier sections of my route it was going to be too warm for me. I eventually ended up taking the long sleeve off and just wearing my short sleeve around mile 6.5.
I had picked an out-an-back route that would give me some easy hills and access to bathrooms since my tummy was a little upset. I settled into a pace after using the first couple miles for warm-up. I was avoiding looking at my Garmin because I didn't want to worry about my pace. Running alone can sometimes be a mental challenge for me in that I will psych myself out and lose confidence in myself. I wanted to just focus on running and not worry about times or splits.
I took Pineapple Roctane Gu around mile 4 and 7.5...during my second stop for Gu I looked down the street and noticed Lori running along. She passed me and just kept chugging along. I yelled after her and discovered that our routes were going to converge for the next 2 miles so I followed along behind her. I yelled up to her that this was saving me the trouble of having to email her a photo as proof that I had run! She chuckled on that one!
I finished up the run with 11.8 miles in 2 hours even. The last little bit was pretty tough...later when I reviewed my splits I saw that I had been picking up the pace over the final 4 miles which is why it felt so much harder. I really missed having my running partner there to keep me company but I was able to remind myself that I can rise up to the challenge when I believe in myself and turn off my brain and just run. I really do need the reminder to just "Shut Up and Run" sometimes! The weather was so much nicer today and it truly felt like I was rewarded with an awesome run for my procrastination of the day before!
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