Bad and AWESOME.

I ran kinda yesterday. I went to the gym to get on the treadmill since it was so freaking cold outside. It didn't go very well. I could barely make it to a mile. My shins were in so much pain that I couldn't even fight through it. My foot hurt a little bit, but not nearly as bad as my shins. I was so mad at myself and the fact that my body wouldn't let me accomplish what I wanted to do. Last week I finished the week going 1.75 miles straight and all I wanted to do was make the 2 mile mark. Hence the major reason I was so mad.

Now to today's run. I decided that I was going to run outside since the treadmill and I didn't get along so well the day before. But first I had to go get a new ankle brace because mine was shot. Let me just tell you how much of an improvement my new ankle brace made. My foot felt so much better than it has in a while and that was already an improvement when I started out today. Now, I said that I would never run in the freezing cold again, but......I did. And let me just tell you that one of the first thoughts in my head was when your parents joke with you that "Watch out, your face might freeze like that." And I totally thought my face was going to freeze with the "Oh my freaking gosh it's sooooooo cold!" expression on my face. It was so freaking cold. That wind was just so intense - it could just cut you in half. Goodness gracious I'm not cut out for cold weather.

But I digress.....

So my goal today was to get that 2 mile mark, and if I was lucky, 2.25. I start on my way and I'm getting to the 2 mile mark and I'm totally excited. I'm feeling pretty good so I think "Oh well let's see if I can add on another quarter of a mile." I totally get through that. So that puts me at 2.25 miles. I start to think I could keep going. I add on another .25 of a mile. Which makes 2.5 miles. I'm feeling pretty good and I think that maybe I could keep going. I add on another .25. I am now at 2.75. At this point in my run I'm at the crosswalk to start the last leg of my run toward my house. And without thinking, I start running. And then it hits me, "Am I really going to do this?!" So no joke, I stop for a minute and take a deep breath and answer myself (this was all totally out loud), "Yeah, I think I am!" I do a couple of chugs like a train, take a deep breath, gear myself up, and I'm off! I hit the 3 mile mark before I got home and I was like "I always run down to the mailboxes - today isn't going to be any different. Can I add it on?" So I go up and down the little inlets at my little neighborhood, to the mailboxes, and back up to my house. I ran 3.25 MILES STRAIGHT!!!!! Say WHHHAAATTTT??!!! I know, right? Just plain freaking CRAZY. I got inside my house and I looked at my mom and told her what I did and told her that if I could do a happy dance I'd totally do it. My mom did the happy dance for me. :)

I stopped a couple of times before I hit the 2 mile mark to stretch out my calves, but it really was only twice. Which is a lot better than normal. My shins felt better, as well as my ankle and that really helped. The whole idea today was to keep a little slower pace than normal since I was wanting to add on more distance. Apparently it worked! Once I got past the 2.25 mark, I had to really push through the tired muscles and the pain that comes on with pushing your body to a new level. But it didn't last long and the rest of the run went pretty well, just like the first part. My body was on autopilot today. It was like it knew what to do and just did it. It was really awesome. I still can't believe that I did that. Heck freaking YES!

I think today was really a breakthrough for me. I know what my body is capable of and I know that I can push myself to new levels. And I'm able to do that. I think that was a big realization for me today - I can push myself and I'm not going to die doing it. It was just a really awesome moment each time I accomplished another quarter of a mile. :)

Alright, that's enough from me. We're totally gonna be awesome at the 15k! HONK!