Sunday, October 18, 2009

12-Miler

What an experience! At 5:30 on Saturday morning, before the sun came up, I embarked on the longest run in my life. It was completely dark out and I could not see a foot ahead of me. I kept hitting pockets of hot air and soon regretted wearing my new Nike long sleeve layer. We ran toward the sunrise and it was beautiful. Early on I hit a nice stride, didn't have to fight to breathe, and just enjoyed the views. I actually ran without music and enjoyed more than when I did run with music, which surprised me. I felt like it helped me clear my head and be more present in the moment. I also wore a knee band that supported my tendon and it did worlds of good. I felt great....until mile 10. My knees started getting stiff, my hip flexor ached, my side hurt and by mile 12 I was sure I was going to toss my cookies. My body actually freaked out. Every part of me felt like it was abandoning the mission. Yet, as I saw the end of the course, andrenaline kicked in and my aches and pains subsided. During the last mile a kind person actually turned back for me and having that support really helped me keep going. Otherwise, I think I may have laid down and died.

All in all, it was enjoyable and I surprised myself again. I think I am learning a lot about my capabilities and my limits. I realize I enjoy running courses that are 10 miles or less, at lease for now! Today, I am feeling some soreness in my quads and hamstrings and my abs even hurt. This experience is forcing me to live a healthy lifestyle. I recently read some articles about the importance of having a strong and flexible body (abs, back, arms in addition to legs) in order to be a strong and efficient runner. My Dad, of course, cheered me on and I often use his advice, "when you feel like stopping, just think about putting one foot in front of the other." This has helped me get through some tough mental blocks. Ashley reminded me an important motto, "You are stronger than you think you are and you can do more than you think you can do." Words to live by.



No comments:

Post a Comment