a long run

I did it! I completed a long training run! I have been really inconsistent lately with sticking to my half-marathon training schedule, and, until today, I hadn't run more than 5.5 miles (yikes). With the race only 4 weeks away (which means, only three real training weeks left), I decided it was time to get serious again. Kev (who ran 18 miles this morning) was super encouraging (borderline a pain in the rear) today, and kept reminding me how important it is to me to accomplish this goal, and how good I would feel after completing a long run. So, even though I had made the unwise choice of polishing off an entire vanilla milkshake at lunch earlier in the day (and so, was feeling full and gross and, dare I say it, lactosey), I made the choice to just put on my running shoes and head out the door.

Kev decided he wanted to be outside too, so he rode his bike next to me while I ran. It was a beautiful evening, and it was so motivating to have Kev nearby, and so, even though I set out thinking that there was no way I was going to run more than 4 miles, I finished my long run - just over 7.5 miles! Kev was right, I felt awesome - well, sore and achey, but awesome. I had a big smile on my face the entire time, I felt nice and loose, and pretty strong, and I just couldn't believe that I wasn't running out of steam. This is the longest distance I've run in over a decade (I ran 10 miles once, during cross country season my junior year of high school), and I am now feeling much more confident about my ability to complete the half-marathon without falling apart. This Saturday I'll be running a 10-mile race with my friends Renee and Emily (who are also running the 1/2 marathon at the end of June), and I think that will be the final confidence boost I need to feel prepared for the 1/2 marathon. YEAH for running!

Here's a bad picture of me before a 1-mile race I participated in a couple of weeks ago. Also a fun running day - I completed the mile in 8:25 (slow compared the 6:02 I ran in high school, but a decent time for me now).

Alrighty - off to stretch, ice some sore knees, and get a good night's sleep. A recap of this lovely holiday weekend coming tomorrow.