Anyhow, one of these incidents coincided with time to get up for the gym but I realized that I would be getting off work early for the dentist so I revised my plans to go to the gym after the dentist. Luckily I have really great teeth -- my new dentist sounded almost disappointed that I didn't have any issues for him -- so my mouth wasn't sore in the slightest when I went to run.
But everything else was. And by everything else I mean my legs. One big cramp they were. Plus they felt swollen too; maybe all the cankle problems I've read about with all my friends was catching? And my boobs felt too big. So it was tough to run. And I started out at a speedy (for me) pace, even when I was trying to slow down I was still in the 11 minute miles. Oh, I almost forgot -- it was also stuffy and humid and HOT up on the indoor track and I hadn't used my inhaler before I started so I had a hard time breathing.
Yet I had a secret weapon. As I was driving to the gym, I was starting to get hungry and the idea of pizza popped into my mind. Partly because I wasn't sure if my teeth would be up to gnawing on the steak dinner I had originally planned. Partly because, hey, pizza. I made a deal with myself that if I finished my three miles in under 40 minutes I could get pizza for dinner. That deal came strongly into play during this run; I don't think I would have been able to make myself run more than a half a mile total otherwise.
I got into a pattern of running two or three laps (ideally three, but it was so hot up there) and then walking one. I stopped frequently for water breaks. Around the two mile mark I FINALLY was able to breath and the cramps in my legs started to dissipate. I think some of that (the legs part) was from Sunday's long-run-out-of-the-blue and part of it was from my shoes maybe being tied too tightly. I think they shrank a bit initially after being so wet on Sunday. My legs felt a little better after I loosened my laces, and my shoes felt back to normal after I finished the run.
My finishing time? I kid you not -- 0:39:59. Nike+ shows me speeding up over the last half mile or so; I knew if I had any chance of finishing under 40 minutes that I'd have to run all of that, and I did. I was panting like my obscene phone caller dog when I got back to the locker room; I had to tell this poor stranger woman at the locker down from mine what I'd done.
And then I went and got a pizza that was so good, it was nearly orgasmic. And this, my friends, is why we run.
Cheers,
the CilleyGirl
I am insanely hungry after running that ...and wondering why our dogs do the obscene pant. I hate it when I am sleeping and I hear it - usually for Lady it means she has to go potty. But seriously - can't we let me know some other way?
ReplyDeleteIf I text you this weekend about Darcelle's - it means I am up there again on date number 2! It is still up in the air, and I haven't yet hit him up about Darcelle's. And then that means I'll be getting in a 10 mile run in Portland on Sunday - WITHOUT going on Terwilliger Blvd!
Sorry about the contagious cankles! *giggles*