I Spoke Too Soon

Apparently I spoke too soon.  I can indeed run and run quickly without walk breaks or pit stops if I need to!  Case in point - Saturday morning.  Jason got up early to run before his 100 mile bike ride for MS, and I knew if I wanted to run it had to be before I took him.  I also needed to feed my sister's pets and all of that needed to happen before 6:45 a.m. 

So I hopped out of bed and got dressed to run.  I didn't have a lot of time so I did my usual 3 mile route with added cul-de-sacs and loops to make it more.  I walked for 4 minutes to warm up and then ran the rest of the way for a total of 3.6 miles in 38 minutes.  While this may not be super impressive, it is for me because usually in the mornings I run much slower and take a walk break almost every mile.  This morning, however, I knew I needed to hurry so I ran as fast as I could giving no thought to being tired or needing to use the bathroom.

Could this mean a lot of what I think about my running these days is in my head?  A product of circumstance?  If I have plenty of time to run, I take my time.  If I don't, I run!  It's a thought.  My splits were as follows:

Mile 1 - 12:01 (including 4 minute warm-up walk)
Mile 2 - 10:17
Mile 3 - 9:44
Mile 4 (which was the last 0.6) - 5:56 (9:53 pace)
Overall pace: 10:33

I felt so good and almost normal that I LONGED for a good, strong 5 miler.  I really did need to feed the pets and get back home, though, and I didn't want Jason to be late for his bike ride.  I chastised myself for not getting up even earlier, but I'd had no idea!  I also, begrudgingly, thought it was probably good to stop when I felt great, before things went south. 

I got home, grabbed my purse and flew out the door to drive to Julie's. I fed and watered the pets and flew back home, getting there by 6:35.  Jason had finished his run and was making a bagel, all dressed and ready to head out.  Perfect timing!  I drove him the 35 minutes to the start of his ride, kissed him good-bye, and then I met up with a dear friend from work who lived close by.  We visited for about 2 hours before I drove home, stopping for a grande iced cafe mocha.  I was hitting a low point and feeling sleepy!  I made a sandwich when I got home and then headed back out to get Jason.  He called on my way there and said he needed until 2:00pm, that the course was really hilly and tough, so I stopped at the new Target and wandered around a bit before picking him up.

Since my workout had only consisted of 38 minutes so far, I knew I needed something else.  I decided upon a swim and Jason kindly went with me.  I swam 20 laps/1000 yards and then we came home to get cleaned up before getting some much needed dinner in our tummies... at 5:00 pm.  Jason's day consisted of a 10 mile run, 100 miles on the bike and 1000 yds in the pool (that's him just "playing around" in the water).  My day had consisted of 3.6 miles of running and 1000 yds of swimming and I felt like I'd done what he had!

Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway) I slept like a ROCK last night when I crawled into bed by 9:30.  If my back ached, I certainly did not know it.  It was lovely.  I felt really good about the day and about my run.  At almost 32 weeks pregnant, I am not quite done running after all, and that was a nice little gift to receive on an early Saturday morning.