8 mile long run done! It may have been the longest hour and 20 minutes of my life, but it's over, done, gone, completed, no mas...until next Sunday when I have to do 9-10 more. By the time I finished the 7th mile, my right arm was cramping, my ankles hurt, and well, I wasn't feeling super hot. When I'm faced with being soooo close to finishing, but want to give up, I usually enact the art of negotiation. About mile 4 today, I kept saying, "Lacy, really, just do 6. You'll wake up tomorrow and do the 8 you need to do...come on, just do 6." Let's be honest, there is no way in hell I would have gotten up tomorrow to run 8 miles. I hardly wake up in an appropriate time as it is. There was about as much of a chance that I'd wake up tomorrow to run as there is that I'm magically going to wake up tomorrow and be as 5'5" tall with long legs and a size 7 shoe. It's just not gonna happen. So then I started negotiating "Get to mile 6, then you can walk, promise. Just get there and you can hobble the last 2." When you are running alone, sometimes negotiating with yourself is all you've got to keep you going.
Which brings me to my favorite thing about running. It's quite the friendly sport. At races, you see all types of groups, families, clubs, friends all running and enjoying the camaraderie of it. Ladies dressed up in matching outfits with tutus, father/son teams running stride to stride. Women holding hands crossing the finish line triumphantly. It's all about love, support and encouragement. There's an amazing teamwork aspect to a rather individual sport. Even in Triathlons, the teamwork spirit is not as evident as in the running world. My husband has described the biking and swimming portions as a "free for all," "every man for himself." He's been clawed in the water, and almost knocked off of his bike. But when you get to the run, it suddenly all friendly.
Back in January, my good friends, Kelly and Daniel, ran a half marathon in honor of Kelly's sister and father who had battled cancer. They ran with Team in Training, and their entire team had pictures of Kelly's sister, Tracy, who had passed away that previous October. It was so inspiring to watch complete strangers run by us with Tracy's photo on their backs. Daniel and Kelly, who wore similar shirts honoring their family members said that throughout the race, complete strangers would pat them on the back or tell them words of encouragement. Complete strangers became vested in supporting them in their goal to finish the race. What an amazing testament to friendship; complete strangers reaching out to support one another for a common goal.
I'm beginning to think that that's what my current training is lacking. It's been amazing to have so many offer support and words of encouragement to me in response to this blog. However, when I get on my treadmill, I feel so isolated (even if my husband is on the bike right next to me). I have to wonder, if I was running with a partner or group if there would be so much of the "negotiating"that I'm currently having to do just to finish my long runs on Sundays. I've been hesitant to join a group for fear that I'd not be as fast, couldn't keep up, etc. I'm slowly approaching the point where I think I may have to break and try and find someone to train with at least on that one long day per week. If anyone knows of anyone, let me know!
This next week, my training kicks up a notch. Haven't looked to see if next Sunday I hop into the double-digits for the first time! I'm trying to take it one day at a time...one foot in front of the other....one more mile....etc. There I go negotiating again!
Thanks for cheering me on!
Lacy
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