"Just " Ten...

Heidi

 

 

So I ran "just" ten miles this morning on the Struble Trail in Downingtown.  This is my last "long" run before the Rock n' Roll Philly Half in exactly two weeks.  From here on out , only smaller runs and then the glorious TAPER!!!  So excited for that next week.  Frankly, I have been tapering a lot lately since these long runs do me in for days. 

 

"Just" ten miles was something I NEVER thought I would ever say.  (Along with "I am a runner." or "I signed up for a half marathon." among other running statements.)  Yesterday I was watching my daughter's soccer game and a father of another player came up to me asked why I wasn't running laps around the track.  (He knows I have been training for this race.)  I told him I totally would have run a few but I was waiting for my long run today.  He asked me how many I was running and yes I said it, "just ten.".  He  laughed when I said that.  "Yeah, just ten.  Oh that's it?  Just ten?"  My sister in law was there too and giggled at that comment.  When I thought about it, it really was silly.  Just one mile used to be a big deal for me.  What I meant was since I had run the big 13 two weeks ago, it really was "just ten."

 

I was actually looking forward to my long run this morning.  I knew I didn't have to run more than ten.  It was kind of exciting.  My poor 16 year old son on the other hand ran 12 and was not too happy about it.  (He of course still beat me by a lot!!) 

 

Don't get me wrong, it was a very long, hot and humid run!!  Thank goodness for the shade of the trail.  Although I have to run it twice to get to ten miles, it was worth every step.  If I had to run "just ten" around the hood this morning, I would have died!!!  So I said my prayers to the Big One Upstairs, "thank you for this beautiful, flat  trail that I have to drive 35 minutes to get to so I can run in shade on very hot and humid days."  (OK, Justin drove but I have to pay attention and tell him what he doing wrong since he still has his permit.)

 

By the way, when I got to "just ten" miles, I said to myself, "Self, you still have a 5k ahead of you to finish the race."   UUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!  Not a great way to psyche yourself up for a race.  I figure though, if I did it once, I can do it again.  So "just ten" was "just plenty" for me today!!

 

 

 

This is my view while running on the Struble Trail this am...while beautiful and shaded....

 

Not quite as beautiful as it would have been to run on the George Washington Trail along the Potomac last week.

(Don't ask me who that person is.  I needed a quick pic and he was in the way.)