Yesterday morning my running partner and I went for a quick four mile training run. I'm not sure how we both knew it, but we predicted a crappy run. It was indeed a very crappy run, but a run none the less.
The route we chose started up a slow, gradual incline, which brought us to the entrance of our neighborhood. We have run this route before (we actually ran it Saturday morning), but something about it yesterday made it extra challenging. After we turned onto the main road I was having increasing doubts about whether I would be able to finish the run. For whatever reason my brain seems to be my biggest enemy when it comes to running. I know I am physically capable and able to do a four mile run and I can probably do it faster than the last time I ran that distance, but that doesn't show me down. I run these ideas through my head, "I'm too tired. Buddy is running too fast for me to keep up with her pace. I'm hyperventilating. I'm about to fall out on the side of the road. I can't do this. I can't."
After I let all these stupid notions run through my head, we made it to our halfway point and turned around. We came to an intersection and sprinted across the road to avoid having to stop all together. I think that was the perilous moment for both of us. We both cramped up and had to show down for a good half mile. When we made it down the last little hill, we sprinted the last tenth of a mile to finish strong, or as strong as two crampy girls could finish. We both lamented that wasn't our best run, but as we reminded each other - it was a run. Not every run is wonderful or goes exactly how you want, but we checked it off our marathon training list for the day.
I struggled this morning when I ran by myself, but at least I did it and felt pretty good about it.
Tomorrow we cross train.
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