Long Run Fridays

So we woke up and did our long run today at the gym. We got off the running horse over the holidays, and officially got back on last weekend. Cliff is now surpassing me with his endurance and previous running abilities, and therefore pushes himself further than our allotted training schedule requires. But it's been a good week for both of us. We started with just a 10 minute interval run on Sunday, a 15 minute run on Tuesday, and a 2 mile run today.

Fridays are designated our long run days because Thursday is our off day. Two miles may not seem very long, but it's been over a year and a half since I've run that distance and that period of time alone was the first time I had ever run that far. We'll gradually increase our distance over the next couple of weeks, and while Cliff ran his two miles today at a pace of about 9:33 (not his personal best, he says, but definitely something I'd love to one day achieve),mine was at about 12:45, and I'd really like to work on that. So, we'll see. It's hard to believe I'll be running more than six times the length I've currently worked myself up to, so pace may be the last of my worries.

I said this morning, I'm probably going to start having a love-hate relationship with Fridays. I love the way I feel after running, even when my face is a strange mix of lavender and red with white splotches and I'm sweaty and gross. I think the biggest hurdle for me is the mental part, as it is for most people. Not to make light of the physical part, considering my history with sports (or exercise-induced) asthma. Where the two meet for me is keeping my breathing in line with my pace and staying on top of that as I'm thinking while running, which will probably mean I'll never be one of those PR (personal record) runners.

But I'm really looking forward to the Half, because I said it was something I could never do, and it's something Cliff and I are doing together. Granted, with his pace, we'll probably split, but even that doesn't bother me. I know he'll be waiting for me at the finish line, and that's just as exciting. We're no longer running the Zoo Run Run, but we'll hopefully be able to fit in a 5 or 10 K sometime in March.

Good times! (for now...)