I ran one of the toughest 3 milers ever today. Everything was out of whack, the breathing, the pace, the tight calves, the sore heel…I was feeling quite miserable. Punxsk8erdude was following along on the bike trying to cheer me on, but it wasn’t working. I stopped for some water and to stretch at 1.5 miles, then stopped again at 2 miles to watch part of a soccer game going on at the neighborhood jr high and stretched some more. Nothing seemed to work, it didn’t feel like I was in my body. I felt old and tired…I don’t usually feel this way so it was a little baffling to me. The mind it quite powerful and it will take over if you let it. Anyway, I just trudged along to finish the 3 miles in order to just scratch the run off my calendar. About 46 minutes later I was done…LITERALLY! 
Daily Archive for February 6th, 2008
From www.runnersworld.com
January 28, 2008
A different kind of love
I sit down to write to you with High School Musical on the television (for the second showing on DVD) and Bella sprawled on the sofa with a fever virus, half snoozing, half watching. It’s hard to concentrate because I know every song lyric by heart and they keep sticking in my head and distracting me.
It’s a peaceful day for rest and recovery, for Bella and for Mommy.
3M. Ah, yes. Yesterday was a beautiful day to run in Austin, Texas. After weeks of cold, gray weather, we were blessed with temperatures in the 50’s and 60’s and a morning that blossomed into sunshine. If there were ever a day ordained for PR’s, it was this one.
It was no secret that Paige and Katie and I were trying to run a strong race, not just out for fun and scenery and free Gatorade, like in some races. My PR in a half marathon is 1:36:26 and I was hoping to bust that, even by seconds.
We started strong, Paige ever-diligent in her pace setting and split time recording. I was off from the start and I knew it. My pre-race preparation…food, hydration, sleep, red-wine-avoidance, healthy motivation…all of it was spot on. But the first mile felt too fast for me (though it was right on track), my heart was racing and I had trouble catching my breath or finding my stride, even through mile 2. From the start I felt like I was having to work too hard to chase down my friends and it was really discouraging. It was just like run group, suffering and lagging behind, only it was race day and infinitely more humbling because I had high hopes of redemption from weeks of finishing last at workouts. I knew I would have to work for it, but I felt ready. If anything, I was worried about Katie and her tendinitis and her stomach issues that have been plaguing her lately.
We have friends facing some mighty issues right now, my brother with his recovery, our dear friend Leticia whose father is dying of cancer and Paige’s cousin with pregnancy complications. We prayed before the race, offering our effort as our way to share their burden. “Be careful what you ask for” later came to mind, as these people have burdens so mighty and so heavy that as each mile passed I felt more like Sisyphus and less like Kristin. But I hung on. Continue reading ‘Kristin Armstrong understands how I run.’
