Saturday, March 15, 2014

Push it to the Limit

There is no better feeling than pushing your body to limits that you never thought were possible. Today I successfully ran 18 miles from Hopkinton to Newton.

I had been warned by many about the notorious downhill miles that live in the beginning of the Boston Marathon course and after today I find myself questioning what is WORSE: running uphill or down!? I now realize why the Boston Marathon is so hard. No, not just because you have to run 26.2 miles, its the fact that this is a race of two tales. The first half is downhill and just as you settle out with a few miles of pretty flat ground, BOOM, at mile 18 you are faced with three terrifying and long hills. I would like to meet the person that chose this route, they truly have a sick and twisted mind. All along the course there are small (and large) F you moments that challenge you physically and mentally. A sick reminder that you're doing something that less than 1% of the population will do.

I have been trying to look at each run as an opportunity to learn something about myself and my body. After the completion of both my short and long runs, I look back and think about what went right, what went wrong and what needs to be adjusted. Today's takeaway is: listen to music! This lesson goes hand in hand with run your own race. Runners consistently have the debate of music or no music, talking or no talking. I run with a group of women that love to chat and I have certainly tried to participate, but I think I'm done. I have found that my best runs are when I turn up the tunes and zone out. Sure, I like to chime in now and then, but I mostly despise it. It's not that I can't, I just don't like to. Running is probably the only time that I find myself not wanting to speak (my mother will get a kick out of that statement!) So, from now on its music, bass, good tunes and losing myself in the rhythm of my feet and the sound in my ears.

Next week is a shorter long run of only 13 miles. Can you believe I said ONLY 13 miles? Neither can I. :)

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