Yesterday, I didn’t want to run. My body was tired and I have a blister the size of a quarter on the bottom of my heel. But those are precisely the kind of days I need to run and I need to run long. I have no idea how I will feel during my five marathons in five days adventure, but I imagine there will be at least one day (if not more) when my body doesn’t want to do it. It seems that practicing mental strength is as big a part of this training cycle as the actual running. In order to make myself finish the whole distance, I decided to do the run as my second half marathon and my participation in the Kyle’s Krusade Virtual Race.
Before I tell you about my race, here’s some information about Kyle’s Krusade and here’s where you can donate. Thanks to Lisa at Run Wiki for organizing!
As I mentioned, I wasn’t feeling the run love. It was a crazy week. Good, but crazy. But I headed out with a friend for the first 6 miles. We did our usual somewhat hilly loop just a tad faster than I planned, even with hitting a few stoplights wrong. (I don’t stop Garmin for lights.) When she headed home, I knew I had 7 more miles to go. I have a 3ish mile route through the middle of my neighborhood that has only a few hills, so I decided to do that twice.
The first time around went fine. I averaged about a 10:40 mile. My right foot was hurting a bit, but I’ve kind of gotten used to that and just ignored it. 9 miles done. I did a short out and back to get me to my “starting point” with 10.1 miles done. Mentally, I needed to know that I just had to finish the loop one more time.
And then the wheels fell off the wagon. I don’t know if it was the nasty slant that our roads have and that I’d consistently been running on one side of the road or if I’d been unknowingly been babying the blister on my left heel, but my left foot (aka the good foot LOL) started hurting. I considered stopping because I was afraid that I might actually be on the cusp of injury. I really wanted to finish though! Miles 11 and 12 were a horrible painful march. Run a bit, walk a bit, taking it literally .o5 miles at a time. I moved to the middle of the road and by the end of mile 12, my foot felt better and I just wanted to be done. So, I dug deep and pulled out everything I had and finished it up.
No pictures from this race. I walked in the door, drank almost a quart of chocolate milk, and hit the shower. I was flatout wiped. I spent the rest of the day trying to accomplish things, but apparently I’ve hit the point in training where my body uses all the available resources and leaves nothing for my brain.
And you know you are a runner when comfort trumps fashion. Fuzzy socks + crocs = able to put weight on my heel.
#2 of 13 in 2013 is in the books!
Well done on getting it finished. I hope there’s no repercussions with the foot.
Thank you so much for making Kyle’s Krusade your #2 Half Marathon, it sounds like it was a tough one, but you’re amazing for getting it done despite the pain! If you don’t mind, I would love to share this post with Kyle and Nicole, they are loving hearing about the races, it’s giving them some steam to move forward. I’m so grateful for your donation, your time, your run, your recap, everything, thank you, 1000 times thank you!
I feel you; I have struggled mentally this training cycle, too. I try to think of mental challenges in the same way that I think of hills and tempo runs — this is going to suck, but after you’re done you”ll be a stronger runner because of it. Congrats on finishing!
Nicely done with finishing your run! Hope your heel heals (HA) quickly !