Good Run

We were comfortably into Week 3 of JT’s Workout Plan, and I was already getting discouraged.  Dressed up in my shorts and shoes before yesterday’s run, I told JT that I was feeling discouraged with my progress thus far.  While I had been able to do the first few runs, the last several had gone very poorly, particularly the two attempts at a 2-mile distance both of which involved a lot of walking.  I feel like I should be able to run farther, if not faster, than I have been so far.

W3:D3

Run 2 mi at 10:30 minute pace – no drills

Yesterday, I had a break-through!  A storm-front started to roll through our neighborhood, blotching out the sun and bringing with it a strong breeze, significantly dropping what had been a sweltering, high temperature.  Though I set out a little discouraged, the weather felt great, and I was able to complete two whole miles without stopping once!  Huzzah!

I hadn’t completed a full, non-stop two miles for over a year until this run.  Two miles isn’t a personal best, but it still feels like a milestone.  Next up – 2.5 miles, then 3.1!  Then I can worry about picking up the pace.

You know what I like best about running (relatively) fast?  You can cover the same distance in much less time, effectively giving yourself more free time to do other things.  

In practice, on Monday it took me just under 25 minutes to run 2 miles.  Yesterday I ran the same distance in 21:36, effectively gaining 3 1/2 minutes back.  I realize that 3 1/2 minutes is not very long, but it’s enough time to stretch or clean the catbox or something.  Or I suppose I could use that time to run more.    

JT uses his spare minutes to catch up on work emails while he waits for me to finish.  He’ll wait a good 5 or 7 minutes to start after I leave so that I’m not finishing too long behind him.  This strategy has the added benefit of crossing his outgoing route with my return route so we can high-five as we pass.  It made for a pleasant pick-me-up yesterday on the home stretch, that and the surprise ass-grab as he passed me on the last half mile back to the house.  There was nothing I could do but watch him run away ahead of me and try to keep up.