After that disaster on Friday, I was determined today.
I kept telling myself “Today’s goal is to run the course and keep moving your feet. Don’t worry about time and don’t keep looking at your GPS location.” I wanted to go the full five miles today – for the first time ever. And, I thought today was going to be the day.
I even altered my route, running it backwards, to try and keep the wind at my back at the start and to keep it out of my face at the end.
None of it mattered.
About 2.4 miles into the run, I tripped on some broken sidewalk and nearly did a header. It was the same toe that I hurt on Friday. It was so painful that I screamed outloud when it happened. But, I kept running. And, then it happened.
At the 3-mile mark, I hit the wall. My lungs couldn’t take it anymore. I had just gone up a hill and that was it. And, I stopped.
I stood there for about three seconds and then I said “No, this cannot happen again!” So, I started running again. However, I only made it to the 3.23 mile mark and then I had to stop again. At that point, I had been running for 26 minutes and 53 seconds. (That’s a pace of 7.2 MPH – my usual speed.)
At that point, I was cooked – and I had to do the alternating jog/walk of shame for the 1.25 miles home. Worse, on the jog/walk home, I tripped – again – on some sidewalk and stubbed that same toe…again. Now, it feels like it’s broken.
I have no idea what’s going on with me and this running stuff. But, it feels like I am going backwards. And, I don’t feel like a runner any more.
