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Monday, April 18, 2005

The long run

My good friend, Lisa Best, talked me into running a 10-mile race with her this Sunday. This is my same friend who ran the Cleveland Marathon last spring and a half-marathon in Arizona in January.

I, however, have never run more than five miles. Under Lisa's guidance, I'm training for longer distances. Today my charge was to run eight miles in preparation for Sunday. She keeps telling me that the key to running distances is getting your head out of your way. "If you can run five, you can run 10. It's all mental," she says.

Got up this morning and ran for 80 minutes straight. It was incredible. At one point I felt a rush as if I were high. Those endorphins were pumping overtime. My legs felt great (despite all my NYC walking this weekend) and my cardio was strong. I ran eight, but could have gone longer.

First thing I did was call Lisa to tell her, "I did it!"

"That's great, now I'm going to coach you for a marathon in the fall," she says.
Eeek!

Today's horoscope from the Washington Post

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). There's the music coming from your stereo, and then there's the music coming from your heart. Either one you listen to brings you answers, lifts you, fills your senses and changes your mood in an instant.

1 comment:

D. Pecis said...

Your recent entries on running make me realize how mental (and mentally refreshing) the right exercise can be. I need to do more of that! However, as a sibling of three runners, I rather gave up that I could like running. Instead, I prefer swimming--the floating, flying sensation, the total escape from real life. Perfect when I was pregnant, too.

Good luck with all your running! Maybe you can get something published in Runners' World (which I think is a great sports mag--check it out).

I love reading your blog and keep it bookmarked!