My first "race of 2017" was a bust. I signed up not thinking I would knock it out of the park, but hoping that it would just motivate me to claw my way to some fitness. I didn't have any real inclination to run a half marathon, but my new running friends in my neighborhood were running it and I thought it would be good for me to just show up. So, in February I ran a half marathon.
I ran the race perfectly, meaning I negative split it by each section. So, that is a positive. If nothing else, I know how to pace myself in almost every category of fitness.
Other than that, it was my second worst time by seconds only to my very first half marathon around 15 years ago. Even my half marathon 4 months post c-section as a breast feeding mom was faster.
And I just felt awful. 9:30 min/mile, which was my initial pace, felt terrible. I think I ended up averaging 8:45ish for the run overall. It is not that I expected anything different. I had many months off from consistent running, and the running I was doing was with friends that run about a 12:30min/mile pace. It is just how awful running has felt for the past years and the knocking on so many doors to figure out what is wrong and not being able to find it. Frustrating indeed.
And I did not feel motivated or inspired after I finished, which was odd. It was one of those, "why race?" days. I wasn't fit, didn't have fun, wasn't sure what I was gaining from it. (None of those are true, and honestly I gained a lot in the way of friendship by supporting my friends who were running, including a first time half-marathoner who I helped create a plan to get her to the finish line).
There was nothing to post on this. Hi everyone! I felt terrible, just like I did all of 2016. I am getting slower by the day. Yee-haw!
But, I can finish this post by saying that I am getting ready to go for a run right this second on a beautiful day and do feel that things are going to swing my way again. Lately I have been feeling better. I have had a few runs where I don't feel completely awful. I feel hopeful, which makes me completely happy.
What I have lost in speed I have gained x 100 in new friends during my move. I have certainly been blessed in my life with amazing people. This is part of my running group in my new neighborhood, including two first time half marathoners.
Long time friend, Shawn, from Little Rock, Arkansas. He is a marathon maniac, literally, as in part of that club and every time I turn around he is at a marathon.
