Week 14

Sunday –

Long run today, and I was excited to see what 15 miles would feel like. I got up at 4:00 a.m. to get ready and be out by 5:00 a.m. We started, but about ¾ of a mile down the road, thunder and lightning rolled in. I looped through my neighborhood to check how bad the storm was. I’m super disappointed to stop, but you don’t mess around with lightning. Stay safe out there. I’ll just need to create a new plan to get these miles in.

Monday –

Okay, let’s try this 15-mile run again. I woke up at 3:00 a.m. and was out running by 4:00. YES—today turned into the long run. This was going to be the longest run I’ve ever done, so a new PR was coming my way!

It stayed dark for most of the run, which was actually very nice. We had on-and-off rain—so glad no thunder or lightning. Running in the rain mostly feels great: I didn’t get as hot, and the mosquitoes weren’t out. What I don’t love are puddles. In the dark, it was hard to tell how deep they were, so I ended up running through quite a few and got soaked.

This run got hard for me around mile 10. I was ready to stop and fought with my mind for another 2½ miles. Then my back started to hurt. Mind you, it didn’t hurt before the run, nor did it after—so I know I’m fine. I found that checking in with my posture helped a lot. If I kept my back straight, the pain went away.

Since this was my first time running farther than 13.1 miles, I think every part of me was ready to stop—except my heart. So I just kept going, trying not to think about it. I counted to twenty over and over. I thought about other people and prayed for them. I got encouragement from my husband—he really is amazing—and then suddenly, it was over. I had done it! I was so overjoyed.

I kept my run/walk ratio from start to finish—super proud of that.

• Pace: 15:46

• Average HR: 150

What an exciting run!

Tuesday –

I usually run today, but since my long run was yesterday, I decided to walk. There was a beautiful breeze all morning. I watched the sky fill with light and reflected more on Monday’s run. So proud of myself.

When I got home, I rolled out my legs and did some dumbbell exercises. I feel at peace and excited for this adventure.

Wednesday –

Run club tonight. Since it should’ve been a rest day for me, I walked. The weather was beautiful—clouds all day, so it wasn’t too hot. I had a really great conversation with another girl. Such a nice evening.

Thursday –

Up at 5:00 a.m. for a run. The weather was 77° with a “feels like” of 82°—a bit cooler than it has been, but still hot. I’ve been doing lots of run/walk runs, so I was curious what it would feel like to just run. Today I did a 30-minute run with no walk breaks.

I held a 12:07 pace per mile with an average HR of 156. This is really good for me! I’m thinking about adding a shorter, no-walk run more often. Gotta keep doing hard things. Plus, changing things up is good for the brain.

Friday –

Back at the gym this morning. I kept things steady, used a solid weight (nothing too heavy), and focused on form. I gave a little push at the last station. Today’s class was all about quads, with some biceps and abs. Really enjoyed it—a great way to end the week.

Saturday –

Had a nice walk today—mostly so I could earn a badge in Garmin, lol. Whatever works, right? Went out late morning but made it back before the rain.

Thoughts –

I am so proud of myself this week. I set a new PR in distance. I maintained a steady run/walk ratio the whole time. I showed up even when things didn’t go as planned.

I know the miles will only get harder from here, but I have a strong support system and I’m building consistency. Both make a huge difference.

I’m still scared to run a marathon.