Rest & Reading

Last night when I got back from DC (which was tons of fun!) I was talking to my roommate about how I didn't even feel like I had ran 12 miles the day before. Well, I jinxed myself. This morning my legs would NOT listen to me. I was running so slowly and even though my head was in it, I just could not run faster. I think I saw a snail pass me. Since I wanted to push harder, I don't think it had anything to do with laziness or lacking heart. I think after the past couple runs, I'm just physically exhausted.

I'm considering cutting a run out this week or cutting my mileage on my long run this week. This is the last week I had planned on increasing my mileage before race day anyway. I really wanted to run 13 miles before race day, but I'm not sure if it's the smartest idea to push myself past my limits. I know that I can finish the half marathon, even if it's not as fast as I would like it to be, so maybe easing up a bit would be beneficial. I need to think about it some more.  

Here are my not-so-hot splits:

Mile 1: 10:34
Mile 2: 9:59
Mile 3: 10:38
Mile 4: 11:19
Mile 5: 11:32
Mile 6: 11:05
Mile 7: 20:04 (cool down)
.09: 1:45

The first 3 miles went well and then my legs were like "no way, we're not doing this anymore!" Frustrating.

Anyway, I finally finished the book Born to Run that Vic sent to me!

I really enjoyed reading it. Parts of it were really slow but for the most part it was a really interesting book. Some passages were so inspiring and made me want to throw my book aside and lace up my shoes! Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:

"Ask nothing from your running, in other words, and you'll get more than you ever imagined."
"If there's any magic bullet to make human beings healthy, it's to run."

"Running was the superpower that made us human--which means it's a superpower all humans possess."

"Just move your legs. Because if you don't think you were born to run, you're not only denying history. You're denying who you are."

I think that last one is so powerful! Over the weekend Vic and I were talking about how we have the ability to relate virtually any situation to Dad. Vic said, "I can make everything about Dad...even........socks" and then she said, "actually socks are an easy one, but you know what I mean." Obviously socks are an easy one...because of his hatred for them haha. Anyway, Dad was the fastest reader I've ever seen. He could pick up a book and wouldn't put it down until he was done (usually later that same day). Here is a picture of Daddy caught in the act of reading Cosmo, and you can see that he isn't wearing socks :) 

 Fall 2008

I'm off to rest these legs!

--Melissa