Saturday, February 12, 2011

If at First you don't Succeed.....

Mantra:  Try Try again

My speed has not really improved theses last 6 weeks.  I cant seem to get less than 11 min miles.  I have been discouraged by this.  Until I thought about some other improvements that are just as important.
Running 5K has been "my thing" for several years. To pepare for the half marathon I needed to double my miles,and my body tried to rebel.  A little.  After 5 miles my knees were sore all day and into the next.  My calve muscle got a small tear which resulted in pool of blood that caused a lump that required a steroid injection and doppler ulta sound to rule out a blood clot.  All is fine.   At mile 6 still the knee pain, but only the day of, not the next.  Mile 7, chest pain so intense I went to the E.R.  All is fine.  I owe 3000 bucks, but my heart is just fine.  Mile 8,  ahhh, and on my 40th birthday, I did it!  I ran 8 miles in 95 minutes.  So great, right?
I COULD NOT WALK ALL DAMN DAY LONG!  Litterally!  I hobbled to my birthday lunch.  Barely.  BUT the next time I ran 8 miles, I could walk just fine!  No more knee pain, leg pain, chest pain, nothing, nada!  THATS improvement!  THATS progress!  I have been conditioning my body and its working! 
6 weeks left until the half and my goal is to add 1 mile a week to my runs. 
It is tricky with the air quality here, so I have been relying on the treadmill for training.  I know its not the same.  I am running on a incline.  It does help, but just a little.  Going outside today and, fingers crossed, I am hoping the incline has helped.
Boy, I am loving this.  I really am.  I LOVE how my legs feel strong.  I love that I keep trying.  I love that on discouraging running days, my resolve strengthens and I get right back out there.  I am going to run this half marathon, maybe not as fast as I would hope, but I feel, without a doubt, my little legs will carry me all 13.1 miles.  I will finish the race and I WILL finish STRONG!!!!

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