Happy Hump Day!

Wed, April 20
Noon - Ran 60 minutes outside!
Distance: 5.5 miles; Average Pace: 10'55"

Today's run felt great. Again, I hesitated to get up and run in the dark this morning. I knew I had a longer run and I'm just not confident enough yet to go very far in the dark. No matter. I planned a lunch run and got 'er done! I actually showered and everything and was still in time for my 1pm meeting. I started a wee bit earlier than normal...a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!

I've discovered a pattern that is holding true time after time. About the first 20-25 minutes of the run I'm in pain...not in hell, like in the past where I've had to stop, but a couple steps above the hell threshold. It is not comfortable, but I'm confident in the knowledge that it will stop at some magical point after between 20-25 minutes into the run so I'm able to push through okay. Then, the rest of it I'm literally golden. At that point I'm singing with the iPod and just having a good 'ol time. At the end of today's run again, I felt like I could run for a few more miles with no problem. Which is good considering I will have to do exactly that in a few short weeks!!! I've also noticed a difference in the recovery time. I'm not huffing and puffing and sweating like mad after a run like I did back when I first started a few years ago. It is also cooler now, as we are well aware, but still the cool down feels different in that it is not that big of a deal, I guess. I'm still stretching, for sure, both before and after the runs. I think my body is just getting used to it. What is that called: muscle memory?

But, I still don't want to run a lap in an inside track. Don't make me do it, or I might push you too!! :-)