So last I left you with my 5 mile run in the rain....well since then there have been a number of runs, including my second attempt of a 4-mile fartlek, an 8 miler, and a 10 miler (among other shorter runs- 3,4,5 miles).
So my second attempt of the fartlek was successful. If you recall the last time I tried the fartlek, I failed to follow the steps of a "true" fartlek. So this time, I took the first mile to warm up then I began my 2 miles of medium followed by fast pace running. I decided to try for 2 minutes stents. My first stent of medium and fast was great. My second stent I lost my breathing and ended up going from medium to fast to almost a complete stop...lol...I tried to calm my breathing again in the hopes of being able to finish strong. Unfortunately, the end of my 2 miles was more along the lines of medium then slow followed by my cool down. So I still have more to work toward but its best to see what I was able to do rather than what I failed to accomplish!
My 8-mile run brought me to uncharted territory, which was exciting. I enjoy runs where I dont know what I will see. This helps me remove the focus from my body and its aches to the beauty of nature. Something I learned on this run was the people of Loma Linda are very friendly to runners. I was about to cross a road and a car stopped for me to pass. A bit further on my run, I stopped for a car who waved me to continue so I ran quickly across the car and the guy rolled down his window says, " Its fine no hurry!". In the end, I was able to finish my 8 miles with an average of 12min/mile, which for me is pretty good! :)
My 10-mile run was actually pretty interesting. I had gone rock climbing with a friend earlier during the day (definitely an upper body workout) and ended up getting back later than I had intended which meant my run was going to be at night or not at all....well you know I can't NOT run, especially one that is SOO long!! So I got back, charted my run- 5 miles into Redlands (which from my apartment is to Church street in Redlands), and set out on the road as the last rays of sunlight disappeared with the sun bringing the night. During my run, there were several moments were I was uncertain about being able to make the distance and several times I wanted to turn around. Yet I didnt...I just continued the course telling myself "you're almost there" or got completely lost in thought to the point that I had lost a lot of ground. Once I was near downtown Redlands (one of my favorite areas), I found a burst of energy- probably because I like the area a lot. I ended up getting to my halfway post quickly. On my way there I saw a new creamery opening off of Citrus (which I WILL visit one of these days). As I headed home, the temperature dropped and I saw the clouds accumulating. Thankfully there was no rain, but the temperature drop and the winds made the last stretch a bit difficult. My legs became tight, but I made it. It felt good and I had a great time. Its amazing to see how much your body can do and how your mindset can make the biggest difference!
So there you have it! The highlights of my past week and half! Sorry for not staying on top of things!
More to come!
It's great listening to you and being able to relate to what you are going through. Philip and I have been getting ready for a half marathon for the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation on May 6th (Mikael and Ben are thinking of running it also). It is a great feeling to be able to do long runs again after not having done it for so long. I hope your training runs continue to go well for you. The Lord bless you.
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