Fall-ing in Love

It has been a long time since I have been out for a run of any distance...the 5K that I did a couple weeks ago was the first (and last) time I'd been running in a couple weeks.
On schedule this weekend - long run - 15 miles. I wasn't sure about the whole thing at all. Of course, I'm paranoid that I don't know how to run anymore, that my time and pace will be off, that I'll be wheezing and huffing, and that I will start running and think, "God, I used to like this - I hate this, it sucks!"

I got up bright and somewhat early for my long run. I know that I maybe should've gone out for a shorter run earlier in the week just to get the legs remembering the whole running thing, but it just didn't happen. I figured that I'd just jump back in, as stupid an idea as that may be, and go for the full 15 miles.

I've always been a summer girl. First, my birthday is in the summer and anyone who knows me knows I love my birthday. Second, I'm notoriously cold almost all the time and the summer, with its humidity and temps above 85, are perfect to me.

But during my long run, I think I may have joined another team...as I ran along the hills of Troy and Brunswick, the winding back roads and up and down the (sometimes) ridiculously long and steep hills, I realized that I'm falling in love with Fall. The trees were gorgeous, the geese were flying, the temperature was perfect for running, and there was no better view to be inspired by than the thousands of red, yellow, green, gold, purple, magenta, and crimson trees that were outlining the landscape above a field of golden hay. It was great. It made the hill that completely sucked to run up totally worth while. I even stopped to admire it, throwing my obsession to my pace "out the window" for a minute.

I really loved (almost) every minute of the (what turned out to be a 16 mile) run/walk. At mile 10 I started to feel my toe on my right foot start to hurt just a bit. I almost always get a blister from it, so it didn't concern me. At mile 11 I decided that I would run up until mile 13.1 - the actual half marathon distance - and then run or walk the rest of the 15 miles home. I was definitely tired and feeling the fact that I hadn't run in about 3 weeks. I was just happy to be out there running, happy that I could make it that far, and happy to know that I was almost done.
At mile 12 I thought I was going to die from exhaustion. I try to think about someone or something to keep me going when I get to the mental wall. Really, my body was fine, my legs were good, I wasn't feeling that I would "bonk," I was just tired. Sometimes I think about how I'll get stronger by sticking with it, sometimes I think about when I weighted 80 pounds more and couldn't run a mile without stopping; a lot of times I think of my mom and how, even though I don't have any conscious memory of it, she must have instilled in me this love of exercise and running. But today, I thought about Bruce, and how he can't run anymore...and how, even though he can't run with me (which makes us both very sad), he will bike behind me when he can just to keep me company and be with me...he's like my own personal pace coach...watching my form, giving me water when I need, throwing out a joke or comment to keep me going...and I decided that I could run another mile and a tenth for him. So I did. And I picked up my pace and I just ran and smiled and thought of Bruce. And when I got to mile 13.1, I looked at my watch and saw my time: 2:25 - 5 minutes faster than my adjusted time goal of 2:30. :) Yea!
I ran for a little longer, about a minute or two, and then I decided to walk home the rest of the way (which ended up actually being 16 miles instead of 15). It felt really good, it was a beautiful day, and I felt really accomplished.

When I saw Brucie after I was all done, I gave him a big hug, kiss and a giant "thank you." I certainly could not do any of this without his support.

So...long run done...and I feel a new motivation to get out and run and keep up my training. I'm psyched for Fall, excited for the half marathon, and ready to get out and enjoy those leaves and cool temperatures.