Sunday, August 15, 2010

my 12k trail run

i had the best time ever!!! i was very nervous about if i could do it (just remembering miracle miles and DYING!) and this was longer than that.  but i’ve been running awhile now and felt much more prepared and informed and it definately paid off.  i’ve never thought that it is that important- all the prep and things that people do to prepare for these runs.  i never was into the gel things and shoes and clothes and water bottles, hey this is running right? don’t you just run?  but obviously i was wrong!  it does matter once you get into longer distances! 

so all week i tried to drink plenty of water, eat kinda ok (although noelle your bridal shower did me in with all those sweets!)  but mostly i’ve been running as often as i couldwhich reallly isnt much, i got the cool waist water bottle thing, ate a proper breakfast, and had the gel electrolite snack things, and slept good.  (weird that taking care of your body makes you perform better! ;)

but i felt great and really liked the trail part of it!  the first half was more like hiking, and I liked that so many people were not running.  you really couldnt run it was too steep.  but it’s a different kind of energy that you use, so when it came time to go back down the hill, i was bookin it!  i pretty much just let my hips go and made sure my feet kept up with my momentum.  so it took hardly any energy to do the last 3 miles.  and 3 miles is alot!! when i got to the finish line i honestly think i could have done the whole thing over again. 

this was a great ego booster for me too.  i honestly did not think that i could do long distance running.  AND FOR THE RECORD… i still think that a 12k is long distance- just cuz you crazies run marathons and ultra marathons has been making me feel like 8 miles is crappy!! but its not!! its far!!  so now i know i can do it and maybe once wedding season slows down i can try for something a little longer.  i still dont know if thats where i want to focus my time. for now i am very excited that i can do a 12k trail run. yay!