In the time following the Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon I have yet to take a day off. Seriously. I’ve already started up my training program for my half marathon in December up in Indianapolis. No rest for the road racer, that’s for sure. I haven’t actually given this much fun. While I have had days where I have not run, my legs have still been put through the ringer with elliptical, the stationary bike, and the circuit routine that I’ve been doing to help strengthen my core. No, these legs haven’t seen any rest.
But they do get a break for the next two days. It’s a short-lived break, however. Because I’m headed up to Columbus, Ohio. Initially this trip wasn’t for a race at all. When I read up on the race in Columbus, it just happened to coincide with my journey that way. Which was great.
The initial reason for my trip is to go and see The Monkees up in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday. This is going to make for a long drive back to my friend Jenn’s that night…and a really early morning on Sunday to get up and head to the race.
But…it’s America’s Sweetest Race. So, how could I turn down another opportunity to run for…hot chocolate!
Yes, my friends…I am running in the Hot Chocolate 15K in Columbus, Ohio. Probably on very few hours of sleep and still tired legs…but it’s going to be a fun race. And it will set my initial benchmark for a 15K race, as it is my first one at that distance. It’s exciting. It’s…also going to be cold. So…you know I’m going to be hesitant to even step outside and go run. But…I’ll just keep telling myself that hot chocolate awaits me at the finish line…along with other chocolate goodies (most of which, due to my food allergies, I can’t have…but I have Jenn and Cathy there…and they can).
Why the Hot Chocolate 15K…aside from the fact that I was already going to be in town? Well…the swag bag is awesome. You get a jacket. YES…a jacket. How totally awesome is that. And the finisher’s medal isn’t one you wear around your neck. Nope. It’s a Finisher’s Mug…which will contain hot cocoa, chocolate fondue and other chocolate treats! Running for chocolate rules! And after a cold 9.3 miles…that hot chocolate is going to taste fantastic.
Tired legs, cold weather and concert fatigue aside…I think it will be a really fun race.
Two weeks ago, I ran my best half marathon to date at the Hershey Half Marathon in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Two weeks ago. So, when it came to training for this half marathon I am running in Louisville this morning, it consisted of a few short, easy runs, and a 10 mile run last Sunday morning. And that was all the time I had.
The only reason I signed up for this half marathon was that it is literally in my backyard. One short drive over the river into Louisville, Kentucky and…there we are! I promised to treat it as a training run. A recovery run. I promised to take it easy.
And…I know that I will. I know I will because it’s freakin’ COLD out there. The Weather Channel claims that the temperature is currently 39°F outside, but feels like 37°F when you factor in the wind. Pardon me while I say…BRRRRR! Granted, I would rather run in cold weather than warm, despite not liking being cold. Even at little 5K races, I’m a wimp when the weather turns cold. I like a nice 55°-65°F temperature to run in. It’s ideal and perfect. But, after experiencing a half marathon in brutal heat and humidity, I’ll take cold. Even bitter cold.
So, this morning, I am taking to the streets in the Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon. This is the second year that it has run. Last year, I was going to run it, but I just hadn’t prepared for it and honestly wasn’t ready. And when I saw the people at the mall walking around in the t-shirts with their finisher’s medals on…I was sad I hadn’t done it. I knew when they announced this one that it was only two weeks after Hershey, but I wanted to run it. No excuse. It’s right where I live.
My greatest source of nerves and concern, however, has not been with my training. I know I’ve trained for this. I’ve run three other half marathons this year and still have one more to go in December. Nope. It was with what I was going to wear. Before you get the wrong idea, let me explain. I have never, as a runner, had to run 13.1 miles in 30 degree temperatures. This is not be trying to be a fashionista runner and look as cute as possible at the start and finish. Nope. I just didn’t know if it was better to wear compression tights…or go with shorts and compression socks. I didn’t know if I should wear a jacket over my tech shirt, or just go with a cold weather tech shirt. This is all a guessing game with me. I went ahead and bought knit gloves I could wear at the start of the race and then simply discard them as I warm up. The fact of the matter is…this race isn’t going to get much warmer than the temperature when it starts. A couple degrees…and that’s it. And that was my biggest source of nerves this time around.
I’m not concerned with my time on this race. I’m not out to set a new PR (although it would be awesome…it won’t be happening). I just want to make sure I am prepared for the conditions. There is a chance we might see a bit of rain at the beginning of the race now. I didn’t prepare for that because the rain wasn’t supposed to hit until late afternoon. I’m hoping it stays north of Louisville.
So, yeah…as you can tell, I’m still a little worked up over it all…but I’ve settled on compression tights and a cold weather tech shirt. Gloves. And, of course, my BondiBand, which I can pull down over my ears to keep them warm. This morning, I am going to just go for a run. A really long, quite chilly run.
And when I’m done…I’m going to go get some food and some coffee…then come home and take a nice warm shower. Because, tonight…I am heading back to the site of the start of the race for a very different sort of event.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN at the Yum! Center. I can’t wait for that either. Lots going on today…but now, I’m turning my focus to the race ahead of me…and just running it the best I can in whatever conditions await.
I’m going to be the first to admit it…I never thought I’d be running in the Hershey Half Marathon up in Hershey, Pennsylvania. In fact, it wasn’t even on my radar until it came up as a food challenge on my roommate’s calendar of food challenges. She mentioned that runners receive a chocolate bar at Mile 12. That was enough to convince me to at least look into it.
Well, this race is a pretty big deal, it seems. In fact, this race tends to sell out…quickly. No joke. And this year is no different. The race is sold out!
I’m really excited to be running in this half marathon. While destination races always put me on edge with nerves, logistics, planning, and all of that…I’ve been really excited about heading to Hershey. I’ve been running better than I have in a long time. And this will be a good race to do after the near catastrophic Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon where I literally felt like I was going to die at the end of it.
The weather is supposed to be perfect this weekend…and especially on race day. A little chilly in the morning…somewhere around 43 degrees…but I tend to warm up fast. The high on Sunday is 60 degrees. Like I said…perfect weather. The 13.1 mile course winds through Hershey Park, out and around town, and finishes back at Hershey Park Stadium. There is plenty to see along the way.
While the video I watched of the course seems relatively flat, last night I was reading some blogs of people who ran it previously…and it seems they say it is rather hilly. So, I guess it is a very good thing I often run hilly routes. Good training.
Accompanying me on this venture are my two loudest fans, Jenn and Cathy. They will be hanging at Hershey to see me off and then see me through the finish line. Yeah…I’m really feeling good about running in this race. Honestly. When my training runs have gone so well, it’s hard not to feel good about it.
But now…after putting it off all week and all morning, I need to get everything packed up. Around noon today I am heading to Columbus, Ohio, where I’m crashing with Jenn for the night and then we are all off to Hershey early in the morning. I need to make it to packet pick-up before it closes at 5 p.m. on Saturday…so that leaves only a minute amount of wiggle room on the 7 hour drive from Columbus. We’ll get it sorted. I’ll just do my best not to wind myself up and focus on the important thing…
Having a great race.
Wish me luck. And I’ll definitely attempt to keep my chocolate consumption down until after the race. But I make no promises…
This has not been an easy road for me. I started off my year strong with a goal of running 500 miles by December. Well, that happened back in June. With that being said, I decided just to keep going…see what all I could manage beyond that. Tentative goal…perhaps 1000 miles this year.
And then…the great plantar fascia tear happened and I had the three week set-back that included no form of running at all. When I should have been increasing my distance and miles for an upcoming half marathon (at that point…only 4 weeks away), I was sitting on the couch, doing foot exercises given to me by my podiatrist and physician, praying with all my might that the pain would go away and that I would make the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon.
I got fitted for orthodics…which I hate. I hate them like death. I have only run in them once, but I am going to put some more mileage in on them this coming week. Why? Because that is what my podiatrist wants. My feet are adjusting to them when I walk around in them, so it is time to see what I can do in them on my runs. But not the longer ones yet. I’m not prepared for that. I can tell you…my feet aren’t either.
Slowly…I got back out to the roads. Barely at first. A couple miles here. A couple miles there. I was afraid to run. Here I am doing one thing that has always brought me joy…and I have this almost paralyzing fear to do it. And when I would go out, I would run painfully slow…afraid that if I pushed more or harder, I’d hurt myself again.
This went on for weeks…and then, just before the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon…I decided to just face my fear…and go out for a run. Just find a good pace. Stick with it. The problem was…the summer has been brutal so pushing would expend way too much of my energy and by the end of my run, I would be ready to collapse. But, I pressed on, even if it wasn’t the level I had hoped for. And my speed, very slowly, began to return.
And then, with the permission of my podiatrist, an amazing tape job on my feet, and a promise to take it easy…I made it to the start of the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon. The weather was, as it had been, brutal. More so with Hurricane Isaac on the brink of making it to Indianapolis. The humidity was at 90% and the race started out under a red flag. This half marathon almost did me in. It took me days to recover from it. I was dehydrated, despite having water with me and keeping a slower half marathon pace. I wilted more and more as the race went on and just prayed to reach the finish line. Which I did…sooner than I even anticipated. No new PR…but I wasn’t there to set one. I was there to return to running and face my fears.
And with all that done, my next half marathon was only a month and a half away. So, I jumped immediately back into training (again). I know that recovery time is important, and due to the strain of that half marathon on my body, I really did listen and slow down until I felt back up to par. In addition, I started doing circuit training workouts to help build up some core strength, and perhaps strengthen some muscles. I’ve almost done it for a full week now and I’m already feeling stronger. My runs…are feeling better.
Or maybe that’s the break in the hot weather.
This morning, I’m heading out for my long run. I don’t know how far I’ll go, but I’m going to run over at Seneca Park in Louisville, Kentucky for the first time. Why? It’s a chilly 57 degrees out this morning…and I just need a change of scenery. I’ve run everywhere in New Albany. I know where the hills are, where the flat areas are, where it’s difficult to run due to traffic lights, etc. I need to just go out there…to run. No worries. Just focus on starting slow, and then building into it. That’s the only way to properly prepare for a half marathon…and I want to work on that.
With the Hershey Half Marathon only weeks away, I’m already looking forward to it. September has arrived and the weather is starting to cool down. Humidity…going down. And I find myself more eager than ever to go out for my runs.
Here’s to staying strong, to staying injury-free, and to the next 100 miles…
Well, I was hoping and praying and dreaming of a nice day for the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon on Saturday morning. But it seems Hurricane Isaac has other plans for the race. So, as much as I was hoping to stall any chance of me running a half marathon in the rain…it seems like this will not be the case. It is going to happen…on Saturday.
Am I worried about it? Nah. I mean, yeah running for 13.1 miles in the rain isn’t my idea of a great time…but I do love to run in the rain. Hurricane weather, however, I’m not too sure of.
As it is, they are predicting winds up to 7 mph and about 6 inches of rain in Indianapolis. That’s a whole heap of rain.
So, if I like to run in the rain…why the blog?
Because…I just got new running shoes not too long ago. And, sadly, running in the rain shortens the life of shoes by…a lot. So, the hard-earned money I put into those new kicks…is about to be shot. I will do my best to get them dried out as soon as possible. This means I’ll probably be grabbing a newspaper at the hotel and getting the inserts out of them as soon as possible.
As of now, the race is set to go off as planned. However, if there is lightning…there will be a delay of the start of the race.
I trained so hard to get back to running in time for this race. I’ll run it rain or shine. And I know I’ll have a blast doing it. This race means a lot to me because I had to really fight my way back from injury…taking baby steps…working with the most amazing podiatrist ever…and taking a hit on my training…but it’s been worth it. And I want this race to be good. Even if Hurricane Isaac drenches me from head to foot. Even if it means I have to go buy new shoes when all is said and done. The fact that a month ago I couldn’t walk…but in two days I’ll be heading out for a wild, wet, crazy 13.1 with 1799 other women in the streets of Indianapolis.
Amy I ready for this? Yeah. As ready as I can be and ready to shine as best as I can given the circumstances. No new PR will be set on this race. I have to run this one smart so as not to injure myself again. My podiatrist was kind enough to get me to this race I owe him the respect of following through on my promise to run this one easy.
Me and Cathy at my first race back after injury last year – the Walk Away From Colon Cancer 5K Run. It has the same distinction this year.
It was just last year around this time that I was prepping for my first race back from an injury. That injury was stress fracture in my right foot and really bad runner’s knee in my right knee. It kept me out of running for 3 months last year…and I struggled hard to come back to it. I was determined to be a better, stronger, and smarter runner after that. And…with a lot of motivation, a lot of practice, and listening to what my body was telling me…I did just that.
And my first race back happened on August 27, 2011 at the Walk Away From Colon Cancer 5K Run in Louisville, Kentucky. It was my first time running in Iroquois Park, so I had no idea what to expect. But from what I heard…it was hilly. Not what one wanted to hear when coming back from injury. But…with a lot of long-distance cheering from friends and family…and my ultimate support section (that being Cathy, my roommate…who has never missed a race yet and is always at that finish line)…I got through it and finished with my slowest 5K race to date. Yes…even slower than my first 5K ever.
But there are lessons in these stories.
As I stated in my earlier post, I’m recovering from a torn plantar fascia. This very painful injury had me on crutches for two weeks and has since had my foot taped up in order for me to comfortably move around. It was hard for my podiatrist to even okay me to run a little bit, let alone okay me to run in a half marathon on September 1, 2012…but he did okay it as I assured him that I would not push too hard and I would slow my pace. The point was to heal properly, not do further damage.
Well, that date is rapidly approaching…and my first official race back after missing out on two prior due to being on crutches and unable to run…is this Saturday. And what is it?
The Walk Away From Colon Cancer 5K Race.
Again.
But, I think I’ve done well to prepare myself for this. I rested for the first week after seeing my podiatrist. He had given me permission to run up to 2 miles, but I didn’t…figuring I could take the rest of that week off and then slowly get back to it. And…that’s what I did. When I went back to get fitted for inserts for my shoes, he said that I could work my way up to 10 miles over the next couple of weeks, gradually increasing my runs by 20%. But if I hurt…I was to stop. I agreed.
And so far, I’ve been doing fine. Sometimes something hurts, but I slow my pace and ease up…and I get that flow going again. My first weekend back on the road, I did a 10K run around my parent’s neighborhood. This past weekend…8 miles…with as many hills as I could find. I’ve kept my pace slower than I used to run and so far, my foot has treated me well. Nothing that has crippled m up again. And I intend to keep it that way.
The road to recovery is not an easy one for me. I put on my running shoes and all I want to do is take off and see how fast I can go and for how long. I’ve had to train myself to look at my runs differently. And it’s even more challenging when what used to be an easy run now feels so hard. It’s amazing how much fitness you can lose over just 2 weeks from being up on crutches and unable to even walk. I’ve been pretty good about doing my foot exercises he gave me to do, hoping to get that tendon back into perfect shape. I struggle at times to push myself because I have this fear that if I push even a little bit…I could get injured again…or do worse damage. And that’s the last thing I want to do. Those two weeks I couldn’t run were two of the worst weeks I’ve had in a long time. I was miserable.
But when I finally laced up my shoes for an easy 2 mile run…my first since the incident…I looked at my roommate and told her I was afraid. She told me not to be afraid of something I love doing so much. It’s okay to be nervous…but I shouldn’t be afraid. And so…I set out and ran…2 very easy, very slow miles. And I was glad I did.
That fear is still there every time I put on those running shoes and head out for a run. I want to get back to where I was pre-injury, but I know I need to take it easy. Ignoring the pace on my Garmin is not an easy task. I tell myself not to look…just to count the miles. And that’s what I do. But, sometimes it is just so tempting to let my eyes wander down on the watch and see what pace I’m going at.
Right now…it’s not about speed, it’s about getting through each run safely, without pain, and feeling good. The fitness will return once my body has healed completely. Until then…it’s all about pacing myself. Slow and steady means I get to race. And if that’s the case, I’ll be a tortoise. Because a stretch of time without running is torture to me. I’d rather be slow then sedentary.
On Saturday…I hit up the road at Iroquois Park once again for the same race I made my official comeback in last year. My goal is to simply finish…whether it means walking the hills like I did last year or not. At that finish line, I want to cross it without having to limp or needing assistance. I just want to run a good race and continue on my path to a full recovery.
Yes…this isn’t an easy task…but I’m making it work because in the end, I know it will make me a better runner.
The hardest lessons are most often the most important ones. I’m learning a lot about myself and what I’m capable of now more than ever.
Anyone who knows me and has seen me this past week will know that I am not a happy girl. How could I not be happy, you might wonder. I mean, on Saturday I purchased brand new running shoes. That would make any runner happy, yes?
Well…normally…yes.
But not me. Not right now.
Why, you might inquire, am I miserable? Because I haven’t been able to run.
It happened…again. My roommate followed me too close and when I had to stop as someone stepped in front of me, her foot came down on the back of my shoe and tugged my Achilles again. AGAIN!!! At first I tried to lessen my speed and intensity…but the pain wasn’t getting any better. So, I had to make a conscious, and difficult decision, to rest.
Yeah…I’m moody now. My runs mean more to me than anything. I’m hard at training and now…for the second time…for the same reason as before…I’m sitting on the bench. And here I sit with weekends of races ahead of me, including a 4-miler this Saturday. I’ve been taking Ibuprofen like it’s crack and icing my foot whenever possible…but it just won’t get better. My mornings at the gym have been delegated to the weights and the elliptical. UGH!! Let me run!!
I hate it. I hate every moment of not being able to run. Every synapse in my brain tells me to just do it…and then the logical part kicks in and tells me…if I rest it…it will get better…faster. Well, I’ve been resting it and while the pain has subsided some, I feel like every muscle from my left calf down to the bottom of my heel (and sometimes through the arch) is tight now because I’ve been trying to compensate for the soreness in the heel. UGH. So, I’m now making an even bigger conscious effort to not limp and not baby my foot. The problem is…it still hurts. And the longer the pain lasts, the more concerned I get about Saturday’s race and the unhappier I become.
I’m not in a good place right now. The elliptical machine does not make me happy. My 35 minutes are better spent running than gliding back and forth on a machine. It’s not the same. It’s fantastic cross training…but it’s not the same. It doesn’t feel the same. It’s not…the run.
The Grand Slam 4 Miler is taking place downtown this weekend…and I’ll be there. I just hope I can put forth some effort in this run. I ran one hell of a 4 mile race this past winter and I was hoping to see how this compared. I’m thinking my pace will be slow…my effort easy…and I’ll just have to wait until the next one.
And yes…this once again…makes me unhappy. It literally pisses me off. I hate being injured. Yes…it was an accident, but being sidelined again for being stepped on again is not an easy pill for me to swallow. I want my run. I want to get out there and do what I love to do more than anything in this world. And when I can’t…when I have to sit here with my foot on an ice pack, praying that the running gods will have mercy on me and get me back into form by Saturday morning…it’s hard to feel confident. I want to train. I want to be out on that road, feeling that pavement under my feet, or…hell…finally properly seeing what my new running shoes can do.
Frustrated doesn’t begin to explain how I feel. I’m upset. I’m sad. I’m missing my run.
I just need to run.
So…another day of rest, more ice, and a shot of Ibuprofen in the morning, noon, and at dinner. Maybe, at least, by Saturday, I can walk without a limp. Or better yet…make some attempt at a lope…if not a jog. But a run? Would that be asking too much?
I hope not. Because the call of the road is constant…and my running shoes are begging for some pavement to beat.
Today pretty much marks the halfway point of the year. And what did I accomplish on my three mile hard training run this morning? 500 miles this year. Exactly.
500 MILES!
I hit my goal. Already!
I really wanted to make the last three miles count. Seriously. So I was very glad that it fell on a training day when a hard run was required. This meant more speed, more inclines, more power. And it meant that these last 3 miles toward my goal of 500 for the year would mean a little more at the end of it.
So I really worked it. I made every moment of this run count. I ran at a harder rate, getting my heart pumping, working for each mile. And in the end I couldn’t be happier with the results. Yes…inclines and speed work are tough. But hitting that goal made it all worth it.
I am in a steady training schedule for my next half marathon, which hits in September. So, I’m back to a strict schedule on my runs. And after that, I have one more half marathon in mid-October to run. I’ve been contemplating a fifth one this year and have it narrowed down to two. One is up in Indianapolis (again), while the other one is closer to home…here in Louisville.
Additionally, I have a bunch of races I haven’t signed up for which I need to. Perhaps that’s how I’ll spend my break today at the office.
With races in the works, looks like downtime isn’t in my future. But that’s okay. I like it like that. Hell, I’m the girl who goes on vacation and keeps on training. This is how you know you love to run. I don’t have to convince myself to lace up my shoes. I don’t have to talk all bad ass about my running (because I am not a bad ass runner). I don’t have to comment about how great a run feels. I just run for the love of it. I finally found something in this life that I love. And the best part is…I don’t have to be good at it. I just have to keep my passion for it. The key is to run smart. If I hurt or ache…I take a day off or run slow. If it’s hot…I run early or late. If it’s hot on a workday, I keep the run short and I listen to my body. That’s the key to any run…listen to your body. If you go out too hard, too fast, do too much when your body isn’t ready for it…you get injured.
I know. It happened to me last year in the race I’m running on Saturday in Frankfort, Kentucky. Trust me…no runner wants to be sidelined for months with a stress fracture in the foot and runners knee that just won’t get better. But it happened. And I limped and hobbled my way through June, July, and August before I was able to get back into running. And it sucked. Far better to run smart than to do yourself damage. It saves on medical bills…and a lot of unhappiness.
I’ve learned a lot in the time I’ve been running and I’ve learned to set feasible, reasonable goals. With that said, my goal on Saturday is to run a good race. Am I aiming for a specific time? Yep. I came in last year (on injury!) at 45 minutes. I want to beat that. But, it’s going to be warmer this Saturday, so we’ll see how it goes. The most important thing is that I go out there and have a good run…and more importantly…have fun doing it.
So…with these 500 miles behind me…time to set a new goal.
Can you believe it? I hardly can…but it’s all been possible because of the hard work I’ve been pouring into each run I take.
I’m in training. Again. Actually, it seems like I never really stopped training. I went from a half marathon in Indianapolis at the beginning of May to another one, this time in Minneapolis, on Sunday, June 3. It wasn’t the best planning, I know, but it was how the cards were dealt. Imagine my surprise when I plugged the new race info into my iPod app and already was up to having to run 8 miles on a long run. Craziness. But…the life of a runner is never boring.
As my training has progressed to this, the second of four…maybe five, half marathons for the year, I’ve covered a lot of road. I’ve dealt with minor set-backs (injuries) and I’ve struggled with finding things that I can handle eating while running (I still have yet to master that!). On top of that, maintaining a healthy and balanced diet to fit my restrictive dietary needs (I’m a gluten-free vegetarian!) and not dropping pounds has been an even more epic battle. Making sure I get enough protein…an even bigger battle.
But that’s a different story.
Yesterday, I was out on my last easy training run before the half marathon on Sunday. And in those short 2 miles I covered, I rolled over the 450 mile mark. This leaves me with less than 50 more miles to cover until I reach the goal I set in January. Hmmm…I think it’s time to up the mileage! I can’t believe I’ve reached the goal so quickly. Considering that in January I was bummed out for getting a slow start, my training schedule has certainly made up for it. I am so happy my feet can still carry me miles down the road at whatever pace I feel I want to maintain.
Today, I head to the airport to fly to Minneapolis, Minnesota. I’m running in the Minneapolis Half Marathon on Sunday, June 3. The weather looks like it will be perfect for running. Ideal. And…even better…my grandpa is going to be there. He’s the one who inspired me to put on running shoes and hit the road and the fact that he will be at the race means so much to me. I look forward to crossing that finish line and giving my family and friends hugs and just reveling in the moment that he was there to see it happen.
I’ve been so ready to make this trip. And now that it’s here…I’m ready to get running.
Perhaps that’s the taper talking…but this race on Saturday means the world to me. I’m ready to run it the best I can.
Yep…you read that right. I am 100 miles away from my goal for the year.
400 miles!
I can’t believe how quickly these miles have just ticked off. There hasn’t been a day where I thought…”I just don’t want to run today.” I’ve been very diligent about following my half marathon training schedule. I’ve lightened up runs when my body has suggested it might be the best option to do so. I’ve run hard on hills, pushed myself in races, and sometimes have just had to stop and catch my breath for a moment.
But this is the life of a road runner.
And 500 miles is creeping up fast. The goal is going to have to be expanded. I don’t know what I’ll strive for in the end. Perhaps I’ll just add another 100 miles…and see what comes from it. Or perhaps I’ll add another 500 to the count. I just don’t know. It’s something to think about. The fact of the matter is, on Monday evening, upon arriving late to my group fun run and having to set out on my own…I hit that 400 mile mark.
I didn’t even realize it at the time, but it happened. Probably somewhere when my paced slowed to a crawl as I hit the hardest hill in Cherokee Park over in Louisville, Kentucky. One day I will conquer that hill without feeling like I’ve just pushed myself up a mountain. With each run, with each session at the gym, I am getting stronger. I can feel it in my running. I can feel it every day.
But this is where it stands today…over 400 miles of road covered and quite a bit more already planned as far as future races go.
I’m not burned out on it at all. I crave more of it. And that, my friends, is only a good thing.
The Celiathlete 