Distractions

I've only been running for 20 months and so far it has been an exciting journey that has taught me alot about myself and the people around me. When I first started, the only goal I had was to complete a 5k race, then I figured I would run occasionally. Well more races, alot of training and some bigger goals I think the running bug is here to stay. How do I know this ... because I turned down a bud light on the deck to run last night. It was a stressful day at work, the weather was perfect, blue skies, no wind, and 18/65 degrees. This may not seem that warm for anyone in the south, but when it's been below 0/32 since November, 18/65 degrees feels tropical.

As it turns out the beer on a deck weather was perfect for running as well. We had a 6, 10 or 12 mile route to choose from. I chose the 6 miler to loosen out my legs but not due to much damage to the ankle. My ankle/calf was very sore on Wednesday, but was feeling better Thursday afternoon. The first half mile was painful working out lots of creaks, but soon got into a nice slow comfortable pace (about 9.20 mile) that my ankle was okay with. I was running with Pat who has a sore groin muscle and was happy to take it slow as well. We must have looked priceless hobbling along.

For 3 miles all was good, the weather, the pace, good conversation and lots of laughs. Then Pat kept going to do 10 miles and I turned around. Soon, the perfect weather, the pace, good conversation and lots of laughs had turned to it's bloody hot, erratic pace and mumbling to myself that I could be drinking an ice cold one right now. By myself I started concentrating on each foot strike and how my ankle felt to the point of obsession, the only thing that removed that from my head was my breathing, or lack of it. My pace was very inconsistent at any given point, at the end of mile 4 I had slowed to 10.15 mile.

Then I heard my name being called behind me, I turned around and it was the coach from our group. He is a great runner, sub 3 hour marathon, 2.31 PB at Boston. My form instantly changes, like when the teacher enters the room and everyone sits up straight. He asks how I'm doing, I tell him I feel like a stunt double from the film Misery with Kathy Bates. He has now caught up to me (effortlessly), I figure another 5 seconds and he will be gone and I can return to ankle, breathing, pain obsession. He didn't leave. He paced himself about six feet in-front of me and kept talking, asking me questions. I naturally began to catch up to answer. Once I was even with him again he would pull away again, then ask something else. Before I realized it, I was at race pace (8.10 mile on mile 5 and 7.54 on mile the last mile) and I was talking. There is a steep hill at the beginning of the last mile, had I been alone I would of walked it, but when I reached the top I realized I had run it without any hesitation. We finished strong.

Had I ran back by myself, it would have been written up as a terrible run. Having to focus on catching him and talking distracted me from all the negative obsessing I was doing. More proof that running is a mental game. I had an awesome run.