Something Happened

Yesterday started like a typical Tuesday.  I went to school, taught 6 classes, thought about beating my head against a wall at least twice, and came home to get a work out in.  During the afternoon I had already decided to run outside.  Once I got home, I set the goal to run 6 miles.  That is two laps through my neighborhood and would be the farthest distance I have ever ran at one time.

As I took off running, I was going at a 9:15 mile pace for the first two and a half miles.  I knew if I was to go the entire 6 miles I needed to slow down.  There was one point {while still on my first lap} I wasn't sure if I would be able to keep going for another whole lap.  As I passed my house after completing lap one, I stopped briefly to take a drink from the water bottle I had left outside.  That reenergized me and I kept going.  Before I knew it, I looked down at my watch and I was at 5.6 miles.  I had just 4 tenths of a mile remaining. 

I was going to do it.  

I had set the goal to complete my 6 miles is less that 1 hour and 10 minutes.  I knew that was far more than a ten minute mile pace, but since this was the longest distance I had ever run, I didn't want to kill myself {read: frustrate myself and quit because my mind told me I couldn't do it}.  

I finished my run in 1:06.  

I did it.

It was slower than I would have liked and I walked more times than I would have liked.  But I did it.  It wasn't a perfect run, but my neighbor told me when I got back, "each time you run, that distance will get easier and easier."  He's right.   And at the time, that was just the thing I needed to hear. 

I cannot say I have experienced "runners high" yet, but I did feel the incredible sense of accomplishment and pride when I finished this run.  

Something happened yesterday.... I became a runner.