Road Runner Girl: LSD Is For Me!

Saturday, September 8, 2012

LSD Is For Me!

Yeah I'm pretty sure I'm going to get a phone call from my Dad who is a retired cop after he sees this title!!! I'm not talking drugs people....I'm talking "long slow distance!" If you're a runner you already know that!!! I just LOVE long runs! I always feel so much better in these runs...in fact...I really don't like short runs. I know they are a big part of training but they suck. I think it's because my short runs are usually 3-4 miles...and it takes that long for me to even warm up! So I struggle through those runs a lot more than my long runs. Now I'm not saying long runs aren't hard for me...they are. Especially when I get into those 16, 18, 20, and 22 milers in marathon training. But I prefer them to short runs any day! I know I can push through. And feel super accomplished in the end!

Now I am not a fast runner by no means. Fast for me is in the 9's...and I don't run this pace often. My average pace for short runs is between 10-10:30. My average pace for long runs is between 11-11:30. I know that is super slow for a lot of you but it works for me and I'm proud of it!

That being said...today was a long run day for me. It was the last long run before I start tapering for my half on Sept. 30th. It was the last long run for these amazing women called the Sole2Soul Sisters that I've been training for their first half marathon...and they are ROCKING!!! I'm so proud of them and how great they have done with their training!

This run was awesome!!!! We ran one of my favorite routes that's down by the bay. My goal for this run was to take it slow and easy and try to stay at an 11:30 pace. The first 3 miles I ran a little faster...I was in the 10's but kept telling myself to slow down. The last half a mile of this route there is a gradual, never ending hill and I knew I wouldn't make it if I didn't pace myself. So I kept slowing myself down to an 11:30 pace. Around mile 4 it started sprinkling. I was super surprised because the rain chance was only 10%! I don't mind running in the rain but my iPhone was in my belt and I was super worried about it!!! (Hey don't judge! I LOVE my iPhone!) Luckily, my friend Donna came to my rescue and gave me a ziploc bag to put my iPhone in...thanks so much Donna! And boy am I glad I had that ziploc bag because at mile 9....the rain started coming down heavy! It was like a monsoon out there! But it felt GREAT! Very refreshing when you are super hot!

Can you see the drops of rain???

Wouldn't you know it would ~~rain~~ pour when I had a white shirt on!!! That's my luck lol!

I had 3 miles left and I wasn't stopping...and neither were my Sole2Soul Sisters! I was so proud of them for sticking it out in the rain! We made it to the end (and yes I KICKED that hill in the booty) and the sun came out!!! Yay!!!

Here's the scenery I had to look at while running today...so gorgeous!!!