Double Digits

I did a mediocre job of training this week...

Sunday - 40 minute recovery run - ran up to the lake, ran two laps around, went into the gym to pee, then walked home (probably just under 4 miles total, 3.5 running)

Monday - 4 mile run on the W&OD

Tuesday - Lifting in the Gym - abs and chest - felt fine at the time...seriously sore by Thursday

Wednesday - 5 mile "run" - through Ashburn Village - worst training day yet...the day began with several mimosas and ended with a miserable whiny sloppy attempted run of 5 miles

Thursday - Core Strength Class at the Gym - chastised by the instructor for not selecting heavy enough weights, was late and had to take the spot at the very front of the classroom (next to the instructor and in front of the mirror) - again, felt fine at the time...seriously sore compounded

Friday - 6 mile run on the W&OD - thought I was going to pee on myself by mile 4 and actually almost did by the end

Saturday - Off, yet still quite sore. I had planned to take the kids out fishing on the Chesapeake all day Saturday, the direct consequence of this decision was that I was going to have to do the 10 mile distance run on my own Sunday. I asked my friend/trainer to run it with me. He has not been doing the distance runs with me, I usually go out with the TNT group, so this was a huge favor to ask. I thought he might agree to the last 5 miles, but he surprised me and said he would do the whole run with me. I could not sleep at all Monday night because I was so anxious about how I was going to run 10 miles.

We decided to meet at the Belmont Ridge access point to the W&OD, go 5 miles west and turn around, oh yeah, at 6 in the morning. I showed up a couple of minutes past 6, after forgetting and having to go back for the water (weight) belt and still barefoot. My friend wasn't there yet, odd for the militarily-inclined, so I stretched and waited (and worried). At 6:20 he still wasn't there, I knew I had to start right then or I would not finish in time to get the kids to Sunday School. Annoyed, I set off on our planned route.

At first I thought he was just a few minutes behind and would catch up with me, but a mile in that thought was ridiculous. Then I thought maybe he would meet me at the next access point, then I passed that access point. By the end of the second mile I knew for sure I was about to run 10 f-ing miles on my own...which, to reiterate, really sucks.

I spent the next half mile brainstorming all of the things I was going to say to him, or likely email to him, before indefinitely refusing to speak to him. Things like how inconsiderate it was to just not show up, how just like a man that was, how you can stand a girl up for a date but not a 10 mile run. I was going to remind him of all the recent attacks on the W&OD and tell him how dangerous it was to leave me to run alone at 6 in the morning. I was going to challenge both character and chivalry.

As I was pondering all of my possible reactions, I heard footsteps coming up behind me, and of course assumed it was the attacker coming to get me after sensing an unaccompanied female runner. It was not, it was my friend, who ran over 2 1/2 miles to catch up with me. I would like to point out that if I am running with him and stop to tie my shoe and he keeps going it is absolutely exhausting to make up the 7 missed steps...2 1/2 miles is a long f-ing way.

We ran out the rest of the 5 into historic Leesburg, then turned around. At about 5 1/2 miles we stopped at a gas station so I could, you guessed it, pee. Then we kept going. Strangely enough, this was by far my easiest distance run to date. The last 1/2 mile was really a struggle, but otherwise I think this was my best run so far. I finished in 2 hours and 10 minutes, (his time was probably faster given the first 2 1/2 miles) which is about a 13 minute mile pace, not terrible.

I feel like Dora the Explorer, "I did it, I did it, I did it, yeah!"