Sunday this week started with my first "race" of the season, the 5K Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Spokane. This is my fifth race for the cure, and it is always a fun event. I always love seeing all the people, men and women sporting their special survivor shirts, and moms, sisters, daughters, friends holding hands and sporting matching pink shirt, all united to fight breast cancer. It truly makes you feel appreciative of the gifts in your life.
Having this as my first race of this new running journey, I really really wanted to make a good effort of it. My last 5K, also a Race for the Cure (in Coeur D' Alene) was, in the fall, took me 41 minutes - not real impressive - and I was pushing my physical level. Not this time. I finished with my personal best for a 5K at 31:24!!! almost exactly an average of a ten minute mile!! While a ten minute mile isn't what most would say is great, especially compared to this weekend's record breaking Boston marathon time in the news, but it was to me! I typically average about an 11 min/mile, so this was just great in book!
And the even better part, I didn't feel like I was going to curl up and die when it was over!! :) I survived it, rather successfully.
So today, I decided to set out for a new long run on this journey, as I am supposed to be preparing for a half-marathon after all. Today I ended up doing a 5 miler!!! Woo! My new longest run yet! (I was hoping it was 5.5, alas, i mapped it after I was done). I did a double loop of the Centennial trail through downtown Spokane. I though after the first loop that there would be no way - but the truth was, that the next loop was no harder then first, in fact I think I even ran a little faster on that half! (I really need to figure out my watch!). So for all you doubters out there that think that 3 miles is your limit - it really isn't! It was great to know that I had the distance in me! I honestly thought I had been fooling myself about this running thing, and over estimating my endurance, but I was wrong!
To all my readers, Happy Running!
No comments:
Post a Comment