Thursday, April 11, 2013

A Four Mile Run?

Last evening, I was supposed to do a four mile run.  It was my first run in a week.  I had caught a stomach bug that was not willing to let go for a while.  My energy was gone.  I was needing more sleep than usual.  I was trying to give my body time to recuperate before running again.

My husband got home from work.  Dinner had been made, we had lemon pepper pork chops, asparagus, mashed potatoes and salad.  It was on the table.  I informed my husband that I had to do a four mile run.  I told him he was in charge of my children, and then I left.  I told him I would be gone about an hour, because after I ran, I had to buy some gas.

I got to the park that I was running at.  It was supposed to be a four mile tempo run.  With the two middle miles being faster than the first and last.  This meant that I would have to do the 2/3 mile loop and the 1/3 mile loop, and then 3 times around the 2/3 mile loop and then repeat the first.  I was ready to get started.

I did the first mile, which seemed to be much further than 1 mile.  Judging from the time the first "mile" took me (13:58) it was at least 1.2 miles.  I then did the next two miles.  I was starting to think that I was over exerting myself at about 1 1/3 miles into the 2 mile segment.  My stomach started to really hurt.  There was a big part of me that wanted to quit the run.  I think it was pretty much all of me that wanted to quit the run, except for my heart.

My heart winning over the rest of my body, I continued on.  I finished the two-mile segment.  Knowing that my first mile was likely 1.2 miles, I did one more 2/3 mile loop and then the 1/4 mile loop.  By the time I was done, when I checked my fitbit, I had gone over 4 miles.  That was enough for me.  My legs felt like they were going to fall off.  It wasn't a really good feeling.  It was good to know that I could will myself to finish my goal, but I hurt.  It wasn't just a little...

I was supposed to run with my sister after I finished the four mile run.  By the time, I bought gas and got home, I could barely walk.  I let her know that I couldn't run another step, then went upstairs, put on my pajamas, and then ate dinner.

In New York, where I used to run, there was a trail in my hometown, that had each 1/4 mile marked.  It made it really easy to train for races.  I knew how far I had to run, so I would do out and backs to the distance I had to.  I am hoping to discover a place like that around here.



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