Last Long Run Before the Big Day

With my first half marathon nearing I have been trying to do everything I possibly can to help my race. Yesterday I set out for an easy three mile shake out run and surprised myself by how fast I was running. When I saw my pace I thought about slowing down but I felt like I was going very easy already so I figured it was fine. That run really boosted my confidence about next weekend. Lately I have been running much faster and I haven't been struggling as much with all the hills nearby.

I wanted to get in a long run today but I really wasn't sure I could manage to run 10 miles all at once. I decided to split up the run into two 3.5 mile runs and one 3 miles run. I spaced them out about an hour and a half apart so I had time to refuel and ice my legs in between. This also allowed me to get a break from the sun and heat.

The first 3.5 miles went by quickly. I kept telling myself to run at a stupid easy pace so I would have enough energy for the next two runs. It was also nice to split up the run so I could minimize the amount of hills. I made sure to run as easy as possible while going uphill. The first have of the run felt great and I hardly broke a sweat. The second half of the run was primarily uphill and right in the sun so it was a bit harder. I felt good at the end though and definitely not too tired to get back out there in a few hours.

The second 3.5 miles went so much better than the first though. I felt strong from the start. I was surprised by how much faster I was running despite how much warmer it was than earlier. My goal for this part was to try to run a little faster than the first part but I ended up running it significantly faster. Again, though, my legs didn't feel too tired afterwards to run another 3 miles later.

I decided to wait until the sun was setting to go out for my last 3 miles of the day. I left just as it was getting dark and the air was so much cooler than earlier. I set out to try to run at a 10:00 min/mile pace and ended up running well under that. I was so happy with my run, especially because of how I felt. I got stronger with each leg that I ran and I was smiling from ear to ear the whole time.

I am so excited for this coming week and to celebrate running a half marathon next weekend!