This is my attempt to get back into pre-baby shape and ring in the big 3-5 with a bang, or rather with 26.2 miles. Just as training for my first half marathon taught me a lot about myself (for example, it taught me that not only was I capable of running 13.1 miles in a row, but that I love doing it), I'm sure this experience will be as educational as it will be challenging. Thanks for sharing in my journey with me . . .

Sunday, May 8, 2011

5/7/2011

Training schedule says I will do: OFF

I actually did: Montana Women's Run, 5 miles


Days to go until the marathon: 141


Miles to go until 1000: 852.52

Red Hot Chili Peppers song played during the run: No 

My first race since the baby (and since June 2009) was great!  I felt strong and (relatively) fast, and came in about a minute under my goal time.  It was so nice to do an organized run again!  I felt all the old familiar feelings: the feeling of how it must feel to be fast at the start of the race when I passed a bunch of people, followed quickly by the shame of getting passed by people pushing jogging strollers, and the surge of energy/excitement when the finish line was in sight.  I always am surprised that I'm able to kick it up a notch when I see the finish line, and finish up the race a lot faster than the last 1-2 miles had been.  I also felt something I hadn't felt in awhile (at least not related to running): pride.  When I saw the finish line of my first half marathon, I actually got teary-eyed, not because I was almost done (although certainly I was happy about that), but because it represented a goal that I set for myself, and had accomplished, and I was pretty proud of myself.  Since then I haven't really felt that in running, but I did at the end of this race.  Which took me by surprise, because the 5 miles of this race are only 1/3 of the miles I'll run this weekend.  But I think it was just because it represents a new phase in my life and my running.  I am fairly busy at work and at home, and it would be easy to say I didn't have time for running.  But I don't, and I am proud of myself for that.

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