Finally

Scheduled: 8 miles
Actual: 8 miles
Time: 1:36:00
Pace: 12 min/mile

All I can say is FINALLLLLLY!!! This run felt amazing. Two weeks ago my running group ran 7 miles and I thought I was going to die. I stayed with the group for the first 5 miles and the last two they kept pulling further and further ahead. And this is the run/walk group. I was devastated. 7 miles used to be a not so bad run and it really made me want to curl up under the covers and cry. Since I am running with the 12 minute run/walk group (total time including the run and walk equals 12 minute miles) I tried to pick up the pace of my shorter runs this week. Maybe if i got used to the 11:15 miles pace for a full 45-50 minutes without stopping then the long runs will feel easier.

Friday night I was already looking for like a million excuses not to get up to go run with the group on Saturday. Neighbor Tom (yes he is still around :) ), me and a few other friends went to Heaven on Seven (I have no idea what I was thinking eating spicy Cajun food the night before a long run) and it took all I had to not order a second beer. I kept telling Neighbor Tom that I could just sleep in and then I would run the 8 miles on my own (yea right).

Needless to say I got up on Saturday morning. I ran with the group, stayed in the front of the pack the entire time and felt amazing. AMAZING. I have not had a long run that I felt so strong running in god knows how long. Before the run started I was talking to this one girl about mental toughness and how that is something I need to work on and the whole time I kept telling myself that I need to stay strong. I need to keep up the pace. There is no room for slowing down because the second I give in, then there will be no way I will be able to pick it back up. So I didn't. And then it was over. And I am still feeling great about it over 24 hours later. WHOOOOO HOOOOO!!!