Running With Turtle

WOW.  What a great rulk this morning!!  I covered a total of 5.12 miles (not including my little warm up).  It was slow going, but it really felt great.  I went out with a new neighbor who's just started running.  I can remember how I felt those first few times going out....it's SO nice to be able to tell her, without any hesitation, "YOU CAN DO IT", and know that it is certainly true.  I remember people telling me that, and although I wanted to believe them, there was a part of me that felt like I would be the exception.  "Everyone else can train to run faster or further, but not me.  I won't "ever" be able to run without feeling like I'm going to die.  It will always be really hard."

Lies.  All lies.

Granted, I'm keeping my walk breaks in there for now, but I was "easily" able to run a full mile pain free...and most likely could have kept going for another "easy" couple of miles if I were with someone slow.  My new running partner just started and has been doing about a mile at about an 11:00 or 11:30 pace as best I can tell.  She said she is usually completely spent after a mile.  Today I tried to slow her down a bit (SO HARD TO DO in the beginning), and after a mile we did some walk/run intervals.  After just over two miles she stopped.  I ran alone for a mile and a half, and then did some long intervals--never once feeling like I was pushing myself past what I could easily do.  I am determined NOT to get hurt again!!

Interestingly enough, my calves haven't hurt at all.  My knees have grumbled just a little bit-not enough to make me feel the need to stop, but just enough for me to know they don't quite like it that I'm out there!  But, boy does it feel good.  For a while there, "good" runs were few and far between.  It seemed like every time I got out there I had to battle pain for at least a mile or so (sometimes longer)....and then I had to battle worse pain from 12-36 hours afterwards until I had gone the first mile of the next run.  I was to the point at the end that I forgot just how amazing it feels to have a good run...because even the runs that felt good were tainted with the dread of the pain that was certain to come later.  I've gone a whole week of training without pain!!!!!!  And, not the 30 minute waluns* I started out with, but decent rulks**.  I honestly think I could have "easily" jogged two-three miles today with no walk breaks at all.  I'm sorry, I know I'm gushing....but I'm just in shock over how great it was!!



What's in store the rest of the week:

Later today:  Extreme Abs class
Tuesday:  Power Yoga (I have to say, I'm just a tad nervous about this!)
Wednesday: Walk/Run with my neighbor-I have to think of a nick-name for her.  (We're going to do 2.25 miles of probably 3/2 intervals.) Then I'll do Group Ride (spinning class) and Extreme Abs.
Thursday:  Group Power (weights)
Friday: Walk/Run intervals with ....hmmm, what to call her...I've never been good at creating nick names...I think I'll call her Turtle--ONLY because she is a new runner (that's what they called new guys in the army), NOT because she is slow (like I said, very soon, she'll be running circles around me).  So...Walk/Run intervals with Turtle, and then I'll double what we do for a longer run and finish it off with Extreme Abs.
Saturday--I'll see how the week has gone... I might venture out for a run with Speedy and the others from my 10K group.  (I might need another week to get up to their level though--IF that's even possible at all...)

Yup...you can tell from my ambitious schedule, I'm feeling pretty cocky right now.  Time will tell.

Thanks for stopping in, come again soon.
:D

If you're new to my blog:
     *walun--more walk than run
     **rulk--more run than walk