Run Report

Yay for Sunday morning long runs!

I really never thought I would ever say that I was looking forward to running eight miles (or two miles for that matter), but I was totally looking forward to this run. I've been more or less following this half marathon training plan and I really like the add one mile approach to the long run. I think it's as much mental as it is physical. I don't get really tired until the last half mile or so. I mean, I know I can do the previous mileage and surely I can do one more mile. And today I even thought that the only reason the last half mile is so bad is because the giant hill I have to run up. In fact, I'm pretty certain that I'll be able to do the half marathon in November. :)

Anyway, my run today was pleasant. It was really chilly this morning when I woke up (37*F!) so I skipped church and ran later when it was in the 50s. I felt like I was going really slowly the whole time, but decided I didn't really care and that it was beautiful and that I was just going to enjoy it. I got passed by pretty much every other runner I saw. Although I think the majority of them were on the IU track team. Three or four groups of five or six guys all in IU shirts passed me. They were really fast. And they had nice legs. Even if I was fast, I might have let them pass me anyway. :)

I figured today's run would take me between 1:20 and 1:30 to complete. I also got a mixed box of Honey Stinger gels in the mail this week. I figured running for an hour and a half, I could experiment with my nutrition some more. So I took a Gold Honey Stinger gel and ate it at the half way mark. Holy cow, delicious. I think I may finish off the Gus I have left and never look back. Honey Stinger is where it's at. It was delicious (tastes like honey) and was thinner than other gels I've tried so it was a lot easier to eat. And my stomach did not complain at all as it sometimes does with Gu. I also feel okay about eating it as honey is nature's energy food.

Anyway, I ran 8.1 miles in 85 minutes! That's a 10:30 min/mile pace! I'm pretty proud of that, especially since it was pretty windy for part of the way too.