Feaster Five - the Prequel

Last night was the very first time I've run 3.5 miles.

This is important because tomorrow is the first time I'll be in a 5K (3.1 mile) race.

I'm nervous and excited. And nervous. And excited. And we get pie, so that's fun. :-)

The hardest part of training recently has been getting my brain wrapped around the concept of running for more than 20 minutes. Actually, that's been the hardest part of training overall (other than recovering from the flu). My legs can do it, my lungs can do it, my brain is already in the other room stretching and thinking about a snack.

Last night I set a time goal rather than a distance goal and worked on some mental games. I figured I was running about three songs per mile. That really helped me visualize how long I'd be running for. I also used mental pictures to keep me interested in the run, since running on the treadmill is BO-RING! Images from watching others run, hikes I've been on, some of my out door practice runs, running behind My Oh-So-Hot Runner were some of the best.

It was not easy, but it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. The mental games really helped. This morning I was a little sore, but I didn't stretch for as long as I usually do since I stepped off the treadmill at 9:45pm (see previous post about over-commitments...) All in all, I'm happy with where my body is and hopeful that I'll have a fun time with Pocket Size at the race tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!