running til you fall down

i have goals for myself, which include running a half marathon sometime in the next year, in addition to training for and running a marathon sometime in the next 3 years.

this being said, i went for a run tonight.

the weather was perfect for a nice early evening run, so i put my hair up, clipped back the hair that would fall down, wore a sports bra, laced up my running shoes, stretched a little inside the house, and finally leapt off of my front step and into my running form.

i was off and running. i had a good pace. i decided to run for at least 15 minutes, and to try and do so without walking.

i went down the street, around the block and when i got back to my starting point, i dared to look at my watch timer:

3:30.

i had only been running for 3 minutes and 30 seconds.

so i circled the same route again, noticing how my pace was slowly declining in speed.

i decided that i would go down a couple of extra streets in my neighborhood in order to make the time pass faster and add in some distance.

i got back to my starting point again, certain that i had just passed the 10 minute mark.

i looked at my watch:

6:30.

how on earth?! what?! okay, keep moving, just run until you feel like it's been 4 more minutes. instead of 15, it's okay if i only did 10. my body was giving me the ole RED FLAG.

i ran some more. i rounded corners, passed people walking their dogs, crossed streets, waved at strangers carrying their groceries inside, and finally, i was back on my street, sure that i'd passed the time and that i had CERTAINLY passed the 10 minute mark and it was now okay for me to go inside and get some water.

as i slowed down to stop, my legs felt extra wobbly, and because i know my body, i knew that if i didn't get inside ASAP i would be likely to cause a scene by passing out in my neighbor's yard.

luckily, my wobbly legs guided me up my front-steps, i successfully opened my front door and got inside just in time to lay face down on the floor of my dining room. i never fully passed out, but i'd say if i hadn't gotten my shoes off and regulated my breathing, i may have just blacked out altogether.

total running time: 12:22. GO ME!

too bad i felt like i was having hot flashes and i was also having flashbacks to the "mile-run" in grade-school......

well, they say baby-steps. i guess 12 minutes compared to a marathon would definitely qualify as baby-steps!