Never underestimate your short run

I'm gearing up for my first big long distance race this weekend, The Boilermaker. I'm told it's 9.3 miles of heat, water hoses & music on the streets along the way. I'm excited to experience what it will be like to run with 17,000 other long distance runners. 17,000 other people who get why you run without you having to say a word.

I ran a short 3 miles today. I got out later than I had planned. The heat was grueling. I literally felt like I was going to throw up when I was done. The girls were playing at the park while I ran the loop & when they saw me at the end their eyes were as big as saucers. Liv said I looked like I had just gotten done swimming. The heat worries me for the race but it will start earlier so I'm hoping we will beat the really intense heat.

The muscles in my body felt really stiff & tired while I was running today. I started trying to figure out why. I had a lot going on in my mind but I had also put in a ton of miles the past week, 30 to be exact. I'm not sure if it was the heaviness of my mind exhausting my body or vice versa.

In any case today was a short unexpected intense run.  I found myself employing mental strategies like counting just to rid my brain of the negativity it was focused on. I run 13 miles for God's sake. Come on already. What's 3 miles? What is my problem?

I decided that now that I run so far I sometimes underestimate my short runs. I shouldn't do that. Lesson. A short run can really smack you awake. A short intense run can sneak up on you like someone you really thought you knew & in the end realize you didn't know at all. Never underestimate your short runs.