Moving on

In honor of not being on any team and not training for any major event (c'mon, Nike is just a half marathon), on Saturday I went for a lovely little run with Anita. Bree and Sandy were off running a marathon without me (and Bree set an incredible new PR!) so Anita and I were alone. We ran on the Lafayette-Moraga Trail from the Lafayette end and managed to run 10 miles. The longest run I've done since the half marathon I ran the day I skipped kickoff to run instead. It was great!

In a way this proved my assertion that I don't run as fast was recorded at the tri. We averaged 12:52/mile. Granted, we were talking the entire time and running very easily, but we were running. And talking for every single step of the way. But we didn't purposely slow down, we ran at a pace that I thought I could maintain for 10 miles.

Tonight I ran with Olivia, returning to our regularly scheduled weekly runs. Yes we miss Pam, but we'll continue running at least every Monday and hopefully a second day each week, to be determined. I was a little concerned about keeping up with Olivia since she's much faster than I am but I figured I could send her on her way since it was still light out. Imagine my surprise at my own speed. We talked in the outward direction, although I was breathing hard and having to talk between deep breaths. We didn't talk at all on the return trip since we were running way to hard for that.

I did manage to whine about once every half mile or so. I was pooped and wanted nothing more than to take a walk but I didn't want to tell Olivia that. So instead every once in a while I'd blurt out a complaint or whine. I'm happy to say that she totally ignored my annoying whining and we kept on running fast. I tried slowing down (ok, I announced that when we reached 3 miles I was going to quit) but Olivia calmly told me to just keep going.

We finished strongly, gasping and and tired. Another point in my argument against that whole 10:50 average on the first run loop: we averaged 11:53 for 3.27 miles and I was running very close to my limit. With only one short walk/drink break at our turnaround halfway through. During the race I took walk breaks and I was shuffling. Did I really run 10:50?

As much as I want to schedule a marathon RIGHT NOW I'm enjoying just running for running's sake. Next week I'll join Phil and probably Claudia to swim, just because. And soon I'll go for a bike ride, for no reason at all. Strangely liberating!