Cotton Row Training Run

Thanks to a blogger who has disappeared from the blogosphere (or I'd link to him)...I found out how to embed my Garmin data into a post.  You'll start to see a lot more maps/data of my runs.  I sincerely hope there are no stalkers out there reading my posts...but I refuse to live in fear.  (But, I will start carrying a tazer with me, just in case!) :D

Anyway.....my running group had it's first full blown training run on the 10K course for the race we've been working towards the past 11 weeks.  I was extremely nervous about it.  I didn't have a good running week at all.  It's been hot and humid and my leg has been bothering me a bit so I haven't run as much as I would have liked.  Today, there were A LOT of extra runners out there because it was an "official" training run.  I think I was more nervous about this training run than I would have been if it had been the actual race day.  I think that's because on race day, everyone is more into themselves-they are more inwardly focused.  Maybe it's that I'M more inwardly focused.  Maybe no one ever really does care about my performance, but I only think that's the case on race days??  Who knows, but the point is, I was nervous for so many reasons...and as it turns out, for no good reason.  It was a great run for me.  I ran 6.23 miles.  Well, here's all the data (I think you can click on it and see everything in detail):



I ran with Speedy--remember her from the Cookie Dash?  I'm so glad to have met her.  I'll resist the urge to gush about my new friend...but suffice it to say, she's a keeper.

Side note:  the friends I've made through this training group are a very unexpected pleasant surprise added benefit.  I've made several friends who (whom?) I'm sure I'll stay in touch with after the group is over.

Okay, back to the topic at hand...the training run.  I'll make another post about my week, but it's been tough running-wise.  So tough that I called the doctor's office Friday after my attempt at running to make an appointment for an MRI.  I've just got to find out what's going on in my left leg.  The main problem is that I'm afraid to push it too hard because I don't know if there's an injury or if it's a conditioning issue.  If I knew I wasn't going to end up with a stress fracture I'd want to push myself harder than I do.  I'd like to think I can withstand the pain...but it's the fear of not being able to keep running that holds me back.  

I had very low expectations for Saturday's run.  I expected to be at the VERY back of the pack...maybe not last, but maybe with only a couple of people behind me.  While there were only a handful of people who came in after us, we were NOT in the last group of people.  I did "have to" take some walk breaks, but not many.

I tried using Gu on this run.  (I got a sample of Chocolate Explosion flavor at SteepleChase.)  I don't really know if it did anything or not.  I took it at the 3 mile mark, and it seems as though I felt good at 4 miles, but I usually do feel good at 4 miles.  It's "always" the beginning of the run that is so hard for me.  Usually at the end of runs I feel like I could keep on going longer.  I "always" have to stop myself from running longer because I don't want to get hurt.  I think I'll try taking some at the beginning of the next run to see what that does.

I am so glad we (I) did the training run.  I think I'll definitely go out there again at least once or twice before the race.  It was nice to get a feel for the course and know what to expect.  Not that I expect to do "well" by popular standards...but just about everything in life is relative, right?  I just want to do well for me.

Thanks for stopping in, come again soon!

:D