Baby Steps

Fabulous day.  I met T this morning, well actually she drove over to my house, for our own little 10K.  lately I have been adding mileage back pretty well.  However, my speed has been holding out.  (Plus I was not very at all speedy to begin with.)  I used to be able to run 10 min miles in my sleep and for shorter distances like a half or 10K would knock out 9 min miles.  Well lately even a short 5 mile run was coming in between 10:30-12 minutes a mile.  I felt like I was crawling, but I just couldn't go faster.  So I decided I would focus on adding distance first and worry about speed later. 

The trail near my house we ran on today.  Love how peaceful it is with lots of open space.
Plus it was only 65 this morning when we ran as opposed to the 94 degree craziness two weeks ago.

Well today I really pushed it, hard.  The way I used to feel when I was clocking 8 something miles on a shorter run.  At the end of our 6.2 it had taken us exactly 62 minutes.  Flat 10 minute miles.  Was I pissed I pushed my heart out and only got down to 10 minutes?  Was I mad I am so out of shape 10 minute miles feel like 7s or 8s?  Heck no, I was ecstatic!  It may have felt like I was running my hardest, I may have been pushing like crazy, but I saw a light at the end of the tunnel.  I CAN do this!  I can come back.  I can keep pushing until 10 min miles are once again my relaxed long run marathon pace.  I can keep pushing until my half marathon runs are all even faster than that.  I can do this.   Don't get me wrong, I felt like a fat kid running for that last piece of chocolate cake the whole time, it was hard, it was painful, I was busting some a**.  However, a month ago I couldn't even run.  So instead of being upset that I had to push that hard for what used to come so easy I'm going to celebrate the improvement.  Woohoo!  

So maybe I didn't run like a fat kid to cake...  Maybe it was to huevos rancheros and fresh fruit.  
After the 6.2 mile run T & I stopped at 3 Little Birds for brunch (it's always delicious).
Then we were happily full and walked 4 chill miles home.  3.5 of which T carried garage sale finds from a house along the trail.  Hey, I halfheartedly offered to help.    

Loving this today:)
I CAN!