Sweet 16

This morning came very early for me. After being up 2 or 3 times in the night with Grace, I got up at 5:20 am to feed her before getting ready for my biggest run yet this season, 16 miles. I quietly got ready and headed out the door around 6:30. Starting out I was actually chilly which was a nice change. I headed from my parents house to the bike path where I would run out 5 1/2 miles to Gambier and back home. I had decided not to worry about my pace and just set out to enjoy the morning and the run. I've been far too obsessed with how fast I've been running. And in return, I had one of the most enjoyable runs I've had so far. The streets were empty and there wasn't a soul on the bikepath. As I ran I listened to Barack Obama's, The Audacity of Hope that I had purchased on itunes. Even though my mind wandered from time to time, I think I enjoyed listening to the book instead of music. It was like I had a running partner talking to me as I ran. For those runners out there, I suggest trying this out especialy for a longer run. Everything felt good as I was running as I let my body determine my pace. By doing this, I found that I didn't need to stop and walk as often as before. Sometimes a half hour would go by before I realized it and I would then stop to get a drink before continuing. Even though I ran for about 2 and a half hours, it went by fairly quickly. This morning was the encouragement I needed and now I am ready and excited for the last 2 months of training. (My average pace was 9:30)