Friday's Run...

My runner's club at the YMCA stopped meeting on Fridays because of the season. There wasn't really too many of us as it was, usually myself, Mike and Jim. Sometimes Maria would come along or I'd con some unsuspecting person who happened to look remotely interested in running to go for a shorty. Come to think of it, not one of those people I somehow talked into running has ever run twice. LOL!!

I'm happy to announce my coach, Jim, is putting a training program together for a half marathon to be run in October. We'll start the training in July. Long runs will be on Saturdays, not sure about the short runs yet. Details are still in the works. We'll run a few 5K races along the way. I'm going to do this program with my two daughters! Kerri is 22 and Kirstin is 19. I am thrilled they want to run. I think Kerri will be more serious about it, Kirstin is more of a free spirit and might not get too into it, we'll see. Kerri had a liver transplant 21 years ago so I'll worry about her hydrating on long runs in this Florida heat. Ok, I'll worry about her short runs too! Part of being a mom! Her meds can wreck havoc on her kidneys if her electrolytes get out of kilter. I'll be running behind her every step with a water bottle and gatorade....haha!

So....I have been solo on all my running these days. No runner's club, Mike went to Maine and Jim is extremely busy. I like running with people most of the time. Knowing I'd be running with someone on Fridays made it ok to run alone other days. I had something to look forward to. But alas!! I have found a very surprising side effect of running alone. With no one to talk to, I seem to have picked up some speed...

I did my core exercise class Friday morning, perfect warm up before a run. I was tired and lazy, almost just went home. I decided to do a slow 4 miles, I wanted to just get out there and enjoy the air. I ran about 3.8 miles and here's the exciting news...I ran it in 25:32. Almost 4 miles! I started off slow and steady, not really thinking about my speed. I actually remembered to hit my stopwatch (I'm trying to be better about that) When I looked at it at the 1 mile mark I couldn't believe it! 6:48! This first mile was short, about .1-ish though. Keep this in mind. I pushed my crazy thoughts out of my head, walked about a minute and took off again. Made it to mile marker 2 at 12:04. Yeah, I was thrilled! That was a true mile and it was faster. I am still so surprised. I took off again making it to mile 3 at 17:42. It felt like a dream. Still does. I had one mile to go and I was getting pretty tired by this point. I started to have my freaky obssessive thoughts, doing math in my head but I wanted to remember my times, so I refused to think about numbers and started running again. I got back to my starting point at 25:32. Remember though, this last mile was short by .1-ish also.

I kept running the times in my head as I did the cool down walk to my car. I wrote down my times so I'd remember them and then I started with my math craziness in my head. I still can't believe it. I went back in the gym to leave the paper on Jim's desk but I ran into him on the way. I showed him my watch (which I still haven't reset....LOL) He thought I just did 2 miles. It was so cool to tell him I did almost 4. He knows the route so I'm waiting to find out the exact mileage I ran. I would have been happy running 3 miles in 25:32!

When I think back to that run and pull it apart like I always do....I had a great warmup in the class and I remember I wasn't singing along to my iPod this time. I ALWAYS sing. It's the only time I'm by myself and won't hurt anyone's ears....lol. I was alone too, so no one to talk with or slow to look at stuff with. I had coffee and a banana before I got to the gym, then a water with a GU gel pack right before I ran. I didn't get any calf cramping this time either. I do have a lot on my mind these days, sleep has been elusive too. As I started running I just wanted to clear my mind and try to relax. I usually try to sort my mind while I run but I decided to just let everything go this time. No thinking.

I have this soothing relationship with music that lets me get completely inside it. There are some songs that I can actually feel envelope me sometimes. Usually I need to be laying down either by the pool, in the jaccuzzi or in bed. It's kind of like meditation I guess, only I can do it with any music. I had never thought to try it during activities. I'm thinking that when I shut my mind down and went into relaxation mode it let me just GO. I worry the excitement of running a race may not allow me to relax that way though....lol. I tend to get very excited in races. I also talk to people along the way. I only see some of these people at races, so it's the only time I CAN talk to them. I hope I haven't been bothering them! Yikes!!!

I guess I'll just have to wait and see if I can do it again.