Day 16--some days

Maybe some runs aren't meant to be. Or maybe the fact that I'm limited in how often I can run (as opposed to how often I'd like to) is putting too much pressure on those runs to be "good" runs.

Today I wanted (needed/was scheduled for) 8 miles. And I set out at 7:30am, and all was good until 4.5 miles, and then my legs just stopped. Figuratively (that is), but I plowed through the remaining 3.5 miles grudgingly and listlessly. Even my music wasn't helping.

This run made me question everything about what I was doing, my upcoming race, my motivation...everything. I know it's just a phase, and that every runner has a bad run every once in while, but it still shook me up a bit.

From the vantage point of a few hours, I can also see what I need to do to get over this. First, I need to eat better. I don't think my body was properly fueled over the past week to handle an 8 mile run, especially after such a long hiatus from long runs.

And I need to find an attitude balance. I'm not an elite runner. I'm a rather slow plod-alonger. I want to improve because that's the type of person I am, but I have no designs on winning races. I'm in this for the health benefits, the personal sense of accomplishment, the friendships. So that I ran 8 miles in 1.23 when last year I couldn't even run a mile is HUGE, and I won't let one bad run derail that.

Feeling better already....