...you just keep running and hope that it gets in the game.
That was the "theme" of Saturday's 10 mile long run. Cristen and I are usually chatting it up the entire run, with a few breaks in the middle. But Saturday, neither one of us could get into the groove. Maybe it was the weather? The rain? The delay in the run time? Or maybe we just had a bad run. There were a few highlights to the run. Which I am glad I took pictures of because otherwise it all would have been forgotten and this post would not be happening.
Saturday it was pouring rain when I woke up at 530. After a quick check of the radar, it looked like it would be clearing up and slowing down in about an hour. So we bumped the run time from 630 to 730 in the hopes that the rain would subside a little bit. Okay. I can deal with that. Plus we were running on the bike path and therefore it would be incredibly dark at 630, mostly because of the rain clouds.
I pick up Cristen and we head down to the bike path. The last 10 we ran on the path was a 5 out and 5 back. That really made for a super long run. So I thought if we started at the mid-way point on Old Springfield Road, it would be a good point to get water after the 2.5 to Kyle Park and back for a total of 5 miles. Water. Then 2.5 out to Taylorsville Rd and then back. And the 10 would be complete. If only it were that easy....
The first 5 were great. Felt great. For the most part. Or rather compared to the last 5. Cristen and I tried to have our talks. But neither one of us could do it. We were not able to get our breathing down, which we usually accomplish rather quickly. So we put on our headphones. And ran. That was it. It was okay. Felt okay. See, the night before I had the realization that I would not have Cristen with me on race day to talk to. She literally has been my "right hand man" through all this training and even leading up to the training. She has been on my right side through a majority of the runs (only missed a week cause she went on vacation...the nerve!). Having this realization Friday night actually brought a tear to my eye. I was sad. So maybe subliminally I knew that I needed to run without her next to me and therefore come Saturday morning my mind started to think like that and told me not to talk on this run. At least that is what I am chalking it up to.
The last 5 seemed to drag on and on and on and on.... Seemed like we had been running for 15 minutes and had gone a mile but in reality it wasn't even a quarter of a mile. And it hadn't been 15 minutes. That was frustrating. 8 miles down and I text Boss Lady: "Right now I hate running. 2 miles to go." She texts back "Keep going...u got it!" I mean, I really hated it. Hated my feet. Hated my pants. Hated my goals. I start to doubt myself. Doubt that I am going to be able to do the half. I have 3 weeks until race day. O.M.G. I keep running. I do have this. I have to have this. 
And we finish. And then Cristen and I talk about the "suckiness" of that run. I can't recall having a sucky run. Even thinking about it today, I still can't remember a suckier run. And I can't narrow down what made it so sucky. Lydia, another runner, asked how my run was last night. I told her it sucked. She said "sometimes you have those." WHY?!?! Why do you have sucky runs?
I know I am forgetting something. Or maybe I am not. This is probably why it took me 36 hours to write this post. Because I just didn't like it.
Although it was a sucky run as far as "running" goes, there were some funny and noteworthy items that occurred on the run...
- We saw a deer, or rather 3 deer, but one deer actually jumped in front of us! That was pretty cool!
- Old men running should not, and I repeat, should not run shirtless. It is not attractive nor polite.
- Cristen's iPod Nike app said that we ran <8 min mile to Kyle Park! YAY US!!!! WOW!!! And it was 8 miles!
- There are some random things on the bike path. Like the rocks in a strange formation. Oddly I don't recall seeing them on the way to Kyle Park, but saw them on the return. Maybe it was the shirtless men.
- People leave their coats and hats and other people don't steal. This is just nice.
- By the time our 10 miles were done, Cristen's app said we ran 15 miles!!! YAHOO!!!
- I have a big head, size wise, when taking a picture of Cristen and I.
- We both spit our cherry seeds out the window while driving! It's a great recovery food! And it makes for a laugh!
This week is 12 miles. I am already gearing up in my head for this one. It is starting to mess with my head. I conveyed this to Boss Lady on our hike this afternoon. I asked if she would meet me around mile 8 and finish it with me. If not on her own 2 feet running, then on her bike. This is my last long run. I just want this next long run to be over. Done. Complete.
Until then, I have speed work (3x1600's), Yoga, hills, and mental preparation. Deep breath. I got this.
Run. Strong.
-t-
PS...enough said.....
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