Mile 11

Last week, we ran 11 miles.  I like the run we did.  It’s on a trail, back through the woods through most of it.  I learned this week that hot sauce on Friday night is Not my friend.  The first 4 miles or so, my stomach hurt so badly.  For the first time, Michelle had to leave me in the dust because I kept walking.  I thought I was going to be ill and had visions of lying down in a pool of water that lined the trail.  Alas, I did not.  I caught Michelle at the 4 mile water station.  We ran together for about a mile before she took off again and I struggled to the top of a hill and back down.  When she disappeared out of sight, I decided “this cannot be!  I will not be left behind!”  I started doing intervals.  I’d run really fast (for me), when I got to a point where I could hardly breath, I’d pick a landmark and run through that spot.  I would walk until my breathing returned to regular and do the interval again.  I caught up with Michelle pretty quick and really enjoyed the surprised look on her face when she glanced back and I was right there!  She tried doing intervals with me, but it wasn’t really her thing.  Michelle stopped to talk with someone, so I kept on my way.  I kept doing intervals until about mile 9.  Eventually, I saw Kate and got excited to catch her.  Kate is so much faster than Michelle and I, it drives me crazy that I can never catch her.  Unfortunately, I had to stop and walk around mile 10 because my blisters were hurting again.  Oh well, maybe next week.

There are parts during the run that I really enjoy and parts I hate.  This week, the first 4 miles were brutal, I was hating life, hating running and not happy with myself for signing up for this.  Around mile 5, I started feeling good.  I was enjoying nature, enjoying the time to be alone to myself, and enjoying pushing myself hard during the intervals.  I felt pretty good and was enjoying the peacefulness of my run until about mile 9 and I stopped to walk around 10 because I was in pain.  However, I always find that little bit of energy I need to push through and run the last ½ mile or so.  It’s interesting how you can go through so many feelings in 2 hours, but I would really like the ‘enjoying myself’ part to last longer.  The days when it does are so great.

This week was super busy at work.  Most days I was there over 10 hours.  Running after a 10 hour work day is so tough and I skipped most of my week day runs.  We were supposed to be doing 6 miles Mon/Wed and 3 miles Tues/Thurs.  I think I made it to practice Wednesday but it was not fun.  I just don’t think I can keep up the long miles during the week.  I’m going to try to do 2-3 miles every day this coming week and step up the intensity.  I think it’s better to do some running rather than none.

I made omelets with turkey bacon and toast for Kate and I when we got home. Yummy!  We both still passed out afterwards and spent the rest of the day lying around the house, eventually making it to the movies but came right home after and went back to bed.  I’m going to try eating healthier this week and see how I feel while running.  I still need to go to the store about my blisters.