Week 5

I DID IT! A first for me, a new distance, 15 miles. Because of the running partners I had, I did it faster than I have ever done a long distance. More about this at the end...
This week I ran 5 on the trail with Steve on Monday night, which was a victory in itself, because up to this point a 13 mile run would have me sidelined for a week. But after my 12.5 on Saturday, I did 5 with Steve in 53 minutes on Monday and then on Wednesday ran 5.5 with hime in 52 minutes. I did my cross training and strength training workouts too.
The 15 mile, I ran the first 9 with a friend from church who is training for a marathon in October. Steve and Marlo let me set the pace, and I set one that was fast for me, I guessed about a 10 minute mile and I was really close, we finished at roughly 90 minutes. The thing was, I knew Steve and Marlo were running slower than they would on their own. The last mile, they both could've kicked into high gear (and I was already in high gear) and left me in the dust. Steve did comment in the last quarter mile that Marlo doesn't need anyone to help her make her distances, she will be fine. She did an amazing job for her first 9 mile, up to that point, she had run 7. (And on top of that, she is so dang cute, even when she is sweating.)
Steve ran the next 6 miles with me, at a comfortable pace for me, 75 minutes with a few recovery walks at the top of hills. The total 15 miles took 165 minutes, 11 minute miles which is good for this girl.
I will say I was discouraged. To feel that I was working harder than both Steve and Marlo and still holding them back was not a good feeling. There is a little bit of pride involved, and the competitive nature that put me on the tri-state volleyball team in high school is still inside me. Steve told me on the second half of our run he was concerned that I would be able to keep that pace for 9 miles.
I am tired. Fatigued even. My legs hurt, not in a pulled a muscle or shin splints way, just in a I ran 15 miles way.
Next week I get to run a 6 mile, 8 mile and 17 mile run, strength training, cross training, and I used my rest day today, so it's all out starting tomorrow.

I have been called crazy, insane, weird, and that may be true, but I am very proud of myself, once I got over being discouraged yesterday. Now I'm going to go eat pizza and ice cream cause it's my free day.