10 miles complete and a new PR!!!

Here is a recap of the week:

Tuesday- bought new shoes, but had a bad day so didn't run.

Pretty nice, definitely very lightweight and flexible!

Wednesday- Tried out new running shoes and ran about 2.5 miles before the shoes bothered my heel. I like the shoes, but they will take some getting used to and I think I will use them for shorter distances. They were very responsive and very lightweight. I don't think I can get away with running a marathon or half marathon with them only because my arches and ankle need a lot of support. However, for a 3 to 5 mile run, these should be fine. I have to stretch them out a little or block the heel because they do rub. They are a snug fitting shoe so try on before you buy.

Saturday- 1st 5k of the season, the OHS Bear Crawl. Remember how I said that I absolutely hate to run in the rain? Well, I hate running in torrential downpours worse! It was a 4pm run, which really started at 4:15 because of the fun run. Anyway, I ran the entire time and I actually completed it with a personal best time. My best time used to be 43:42. Yesterday, I ran a 41:39. Not bad considering my polar fleece gained about 5 extra pounds due to the rain and my pants were suction cupped to me. As a side note, don't wear wind pants in the rain, once they get wet enough, you can't move. Anyway, I realized that all of my hills that I run helped to give me an advantage. I wasn't the fastest person on the field, but for the back of the packers I was the only one with the stamina to get up and down the hills while running. I also was impressed with myself because when I hit the track, I saw the timer said 41:09 and I was damn near determined to finish in under 42 minutes. I reached deep inside and channeled my inner Ussain Bolt and sprinted all out the last 70 yards. It was an impressive finish, too bad everyone was seeking refuge in the gym and no one saw my Olympicesque finale!

Sunday- Up bright and early to run 10 miles. It took a little over 2.5 hours. I lost a little motivation after 8.5 miles, I was tired. I actually walked very little of this run. In the beginning I walked to warm-up and then I walked up a steep hill to stretch out my legs after mile one. Then a walk at 5.33 miles to eat my energy bloks and get some water. Then at mile 8.5 because I was tired. But, I soldiered through the remaining 1.5 miles and then walked 3/4 mile back to my house. Even though it wasn't my fastest effort, today solidified a few things for me.
1. I am meant to be a long long long distance runner. I think the fact that I can essentially be a nutrient and water camel and run for miles at a time on an energy supplement and one bottle of water is pretty amazing. Plus, the longer I run the faster I usually get. When I train, I am able to easily build endurance.
2. I will finish with no problem the half marathons in the time allotted. I ran a race the night before and still had about a 15 minute pace. With some more training I will easily be able to meet the 3:40 time limit placed on me.
3. I am athletic. Despite my build and despite the fact that I am not fast. I am muscular, I do have endurance, and I have incredible resolve. I think I have always defined athleticism by being a super svelte and super gifted person in order to be athletic. But, you have to admit being able to run 10 miles in a single jaunt and then continuing on with your day with only mild soreness has to indicate some sort of athleticism. So go me!

Total Miles Run: 91.5 miles run

This week will be an easy week, given I will be away for a day or so on a business trip, but happy running!