Last Run Before Race Day

Okay, so I know you've all been waiting with bated breath to see if I ran today or not.

It's very funny - every time I don't feel like running, and I do anyway, I am always glad I did afterwards. Funny how that works, huh?  Fortunately, the last couple of months, every time I don't feel like running, I make myself do it. I used to be much more lax with myself than I am now, which I think is a good thing!

But today, I really didn't want to run. When I got up, it was dark and rainy, and then the thunder rolled in.  I've run in rain before, but I haven't really wanted to the last few months.  Today was also forty (yes, forty) degrees cooler than yesterday.  I just wasn't feeling it, even though my legs were feeling a LOT better.

I kept my running clothes on all day, and did the debate in my head - "maybe I'll take three recovery days before the race on Saturday," "maybe I'll skip today and run tomorrow instead," "maybe I'll just do yoga today instead." And on and on.

Finally, around five, the sun actually started to come out (it went back in again pretty quickly though).  And I got my butt outside for a run.  It was a far better run than yesterday, thanks to my legs feeling better and the cooler temps.  I was still pretty tired by the end of it, but I pushed myself - whereas yesterday, I ran 2.71 miles in 33 minutes (with three of those minutes spent walking), today, I ran 2.89 miles in 30:47 - a 10:40 pace.  Not too bad.

I'm still slower than I'd like to be, but such is life.  I'm not going to shave tons of time off my run before Saturday, and as long as I can run the whole race, I'll be happy.  I've got to run .21 miles more on Saturday than I did today, so I'm thinking I'll come in right around 34 minutes (I hope).  We'll see how it turns out!

The next two days are recovery days, which I think will be spent walking, maybe doing some light yoga, and definitely using my compression socks to get me in race day shape.  I'll let you know how it goes!