A new distance PR

In case you can't see it: I RAN 6 MILES!

I am very excited, can you tell???

The scheduled run for Saturday's group run was a 6 mile or 50 minute run. I was not planning to do 6 miles for two reasons.

1. I have never ran more than 4 miles before in my life (all at once).
2. I can not do 6 miles in 50 minutes even if I had run that distance before in my life.

This run we had the Fleet Feet girl coaches*. I was expecting it to work like before, breaking into groups and those of us that can't run the full distance doing an out and back. So far we have had 3 "groups". The first being those that can run under a 10 min mile. Second is those that can't. And the third being those that run/walk. I fit into the back of the second group.

The FFGCs explained the route. They also said that if we were running an 11 min mile, it would take us 66 minutes to do the whole route. then one of the FFGCs said something that changed my mind about my goal for the run. She said that if we all wanted to do the whole route, they would wait for us. How awesome is that?? 

I knew the route and was not worried about running alone or getting lost. I also knew there was a potty about halfway around! (Sad the things that get me thru.) After we started, I placed myself purposfully between the second group of runners and the walkers. I still was not planning to run the whole distance but was going to run at least my planned 4.5 miles. 

I wasn't really surprise that I kept up with the second group. We were running right about 11 min miles which is my current pace. About 1.5 miles in, one of the two runners in front of me (there were only 3, once coach and two runners) decided to stop at a water fountain. The other runner apparently really wanted to run in a pair and slowed down until she stopped to wait. I kept going. I wasn't running WITH them, except that we are in the same group. I am working really hard to run my own pace. So I just kept going. 

Right at mile 3 we got to the parking lot that had the potty. I really felt like I could go without stopping, but after what happened at Wed's group run I really didn't want to chance it. I turned around and saw the coach behind me and told her I was stopping. After I was done, I went out on my own to finish as much as I could.

It didn't take very long before I spotted the coach and other two runners in front of me. I was motivated by this because I thought I would be much to far behind them to see them. 

I had my RunKeeper app set to give my voice feedback every ten minutes. And I kept thinking, at the next feedback I'll go to a run/walk plan for the rest. But I was feeling good. Actually I was feeling great. I had none of the normal pains I get when running. Granted I have changed my landing from heel to mid-foot. I did have a little discomfort in my knees but heck, I was pushing it. Every turn (ran around lakes) I could still see them just motivated me to keep on going. Who knows, I may have been able to catch them! Not really :D

Eventually we got to where I could see the lot my car was parked in. No way I was walking in at that point. The coach that was with runners in front of me stopped when she entered the lot to wait for me. She was all cheery with a "yay you did it!" I was elated. I told her I had never run that distance before and never ran more than 4 miles before. She seemed surprised!

We stretched after and I learned that I am not very flexible. Need to get on a plan for that ASAP. I couldn't wait to get home and tell #4! About the run, not the flexibility. I posted it everywhere! 

I usually start out my runs with a mental beat down. I think things like "what are you thinking?", "you need to be happy with 5ks", "you know you could be sleeping right now". I was starting to believe there was no way I would be ready for the Half in December. I just seem so far behind the other runners. I think I know better now. Heck 6.2 miles is almost half of 13.1. 

My pace was pretty good too!

I got this!

* I really have no idea what else to call them but coaches.