Thankful for Eldest Daughter's Help!
Yesterday's program called for 11 miles. Since I'd run 10 miles 2 weeks ago, I figured this would be well within my reach, but I hadn't counted on circumstances being quite what they were. GrazMan is still out of town (boo!), so I packed the girls up and spent the weekend at my mom's (all of 8 minutes away, but still ....). I wasn't sure I wanted to put Mom up to watching all 3 girls while I spent 2 hours running, so in the back of my mind I had planned on bringing us home and doing the 11 miles on the 'mill. Painfully boring, but I would've done it. Mom, however, stepped up to the plate and said that she would hold down the fort while I ran. Yay, Mom!
Timing-wise, I had wanted to run first thing Saturday morning, as I usually do. It was pouring when I got up, though, and the weather forecast called for 60 degrees and sunny by afternoon, so I figured I would wait. Good idea in theory, but the reality is that 3 p.m. is NOT my ideal time for running. Maybe other people can run at any time of the day (or night!) and be fine, but my energy level is definitely not at a high point right then. Add to that the killer hills in my mom's neighborhood and let me tell you, I struggled.
What saved me? Olivia.
Eldest daughter, almost 14, decided to ride her bike the entire run. Sometimes she'd ride ahead of me and circle back, but most of the 11 miles she was right next to me, keeping me company, taking my mind off the run. At 8.33 miles in I really started feeling it--I was actually in pain, although nothing specific, just an overall achiness. I wanted so very much to stop, and Olivia must have seen the look on my face because she said, "I'm so proud of you, Mom. You can DO this!" And I did. All 11 miles. Not fast, not pretty. But I did it. Thank goodness for that support! Love you, Liv!
Happy running!
So happy for your support team. That's incredible!!!! Way to go on your run. Speed never matters with a long run - its the fact you got out and did it.
ReplyDeleteYes, Jen, I'm very lucky to have such great kids--they are watching me tackle something that doesn't come easily and take ownership of it, and to have them get in on it with me is an incredible feeling! And you're right about the speed--I am not ever going to be FAST, but I've gotten faster FOR ME over the past 6 months and I need to be proud of myself for that. I love Runkeeper, too, because it tracks my pace in a format that allows me to see how my pace matches up in comparison to the elevation. On Saturday, while my pace definitely fell on some of the bigger hills, it is generally a straight line, meaning I might be slow but I'm also steady!
Deleteawww, yay for daughter being such a great supporter!
ReplyDeleteI definitely struggle if I run in the afternoons or evenings - even if the weather IS often better.
I am training for a 10-Miler coming up in (gulp!) 25 days, and the training program started in mid-October. I had never run outside below 55 or 60 degrees, so running at 7:30 or 8 a.m. on Saturday mornings in 35 degree weather (with a group of strangers, no less!) seemed very daunting. However, I have come to LOVE cooler weather for running. 40 degrees and sunny skies may be my ideal running weather. NEVER thought I'd say that. It is hot and humid here in Virginia in the summer, so I'm going to have to hit the road really early when summer rolls around!
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