10-mile tempo #2

There's going to be NO sugar-coating on this blog. Sometimes when I re-read previous posts, the blogging has a way of making running look so simple. I ran 20 miles. This sentence doesn't exactly include the pain at mile 16, the snotty nose at mile 12, the almost quitting at miles 4, 8, 15 & 16. While I was running today I decided I was going to blog about the not-so-pretty stuff and this is a perfect post day.

First off, I did the workout. I ran 10 miles and kept my pace under my goal of 7:50 average the whole time. I even ended with 7:42, pretty darn good. BUT... this run was painful. I put it off a day, then procrastinated before heading out, I wanted to quit numerous times, I almost turned around, I prayed for red lights, I could barely wait for a water stop. I thought about walking. I thought about stopping to play on "the bunny". It wasn't fun.

But, the best news of all is that this run will be excellent practice for race day. There will undoubtedly be a point in the race when I just want to sit down. I will be jealous of the spectator with their Starbucks and wish I was her/him. I will want to drop my goal time and I will try to convince myself that it's ok. These are all the mind tricks us runners are used to. That's why when you come across a run like today, it's time to practice! So, I would say, today was a big success! But, yes, I did stop at all the red lights. ;)