Mental training

So, we're well into [half]marathon training.  I've run 64% of my miles this month during the past week! I was really feeling it this morning.  While I really like having a goal that I'm working towards, I almost quit this run before it really started today.

We ran a mile to the T and back, then around the block.  I seriously had to stop and walk because my achilles hurt so much.  I was just totally exhausted and we were only doing about a 10:40 pace.  I almost just turned back and went home.  No, I can do this.  I've had some really fast runs this week so I can't do them all at that pace.  I need a slower run.  It's ok to be tough today.

We start to head out of town through DogTown.  OK, they're going to go out a mile and then back around Ethanol.  I could just walk north, waiting for them to catch up from their mile west.  I have to push through this.  Here we go!  Rachael started her signature chatter and we sped up to almost a 10-min pace.  I was really working to keep that, but pushed along.  There was heavier than normal traffic making us run single-file.

We got back to the Ethanol turn and I just kept telling myself, "Make it to the top of the hill and then you can let loose and just run."  I seemed to calm down after that.  I was feeling more relaxed and was able to get going on a more normal pace.  We finished the last few miles well under 10:00.    Hindsight, it was a tough run, but good mental training today.

today's mileage: 8 miles running

weekly mileage: 30 miles running

monthly mileage: 47 miles running

annual mileage: 448 miles running; 415 miles riding; 10.6875 miles swimming

TOTAL mileage: 873