10 miles this morning. Done. Boom!
Looks like I’ve still got it, friends.
My training plan called for 10 miles—my first double-digit run since the marathon last November—and I’m super happy with how the run went.
I slept in (the weather forecasted nasty weather all day, so I figured why wake up early) and got myself fed, dressed, and out the door by 9.
Though not beautiful at all, I couldn’t have asked for better long run weather—just the right temperature, not too humid, and not rainy. Perfect.
I enjoyed everything about this run. Some weeks the stars align just right and today definitely was an awesome reminder of why I love running long distances.
Those last few miles I felt like I was just effortlessly flying…possibly my favorite feeling in the whole world. I ended up with a 10:13 overall pace for the run, which pleased me just fine.
I looked up my first 10-miler from my first cycle of marathon training and realized I kicked that run’s ass today!
| 8/28/2011 | 10 miles | 1:48:54 | 10:53 |
| 7/7/2012 | 10 miles | 1:42:05 | 10:12 |
Though the speed is nice, the best difference between those two runs is the way I felt afterwards. I remember feeling like that first 10-miler was never going to end and my legs were DEAD when I finished. Today, I was glad to be done, but I wasn’t watching the tenths of a mile pass by on my Garmin… and I could have kept going—my legs felt tired, but strong.
What a difference a year (and regular strength training) makes!
That’s all the motivation I need to keep up my ST during this training cycle. I want to be strong and ready to conquer—not soft and nervous.
In case you’re wondering, here’s today’s playlist:
It was a good one. (I’ve been obsessed with Of Monsters and Men’s Little Talks this week!)
See you tomorrow for Week 6’s recap!
