Tomorrow's run.

Last night our family went to the gym, as we usually do on Thursdays.  I've been swimming on Thursdays, running on my other two days a week, but last night I ran because it was my last workout before tomorrow's 5K.

My "tapering" run, so I got to have an easy run.   "How fast should I go?" I asked Mark, and he suggested I run two-thirds of my usual pace.   I feel kind of cheesy calling one workout "tapering," but since I only run twice a week, one workout will have to do.

After I finished my last run -- by the way, I've finally gotten my running back to where it was when I got pregnant -- just in time for the baby's half birthday -- I was so happy.  "Only one more workout, an easy one," I thought.  "And then I run the 5K, and after that I can go back to swimming most of the time and running only occasionally.  Yay!"

Yep, I still kind of hate running.

I barely broke a sweat during my "easy" run yesterday. It was almost like sitting on the couch watching Alton Brown on the treadmill TV.  I told Mark so.

He must have detected a skeptical note in my voice.  "After an easy workout, you'll be much better prepared to go all out for the finish on race day!" he said cheerfully.

"I don't like going all out," I complained, thinking about the yucky feeling of having already run fast for twenty minutes and having many minutes left.  Thinking about the clock counting down on the treadmill and how often I look at it and think, What do you mean only forty seconds have passed since the last time I looked at the clock?

He laughed at me.

The truth is, I really can't lose tomorrow.  It is my third 5K ever.  My two previous times were 28:24 (not pregnant) and 28:27 (several weeks pregnant).  If I do better than that tomorrow, great.  If I do worse, then, well, I just had a baby!  Also, last time I was in the 30-34 age group, and now I'm in 35-39, so what do you expect from a geezer like me? 

(But I admit I would really like to manage 27:something.)

Comments

[Barbara C.]

Let us know how you do. I'll be cheering you on from here.

[Bethany]

Good luck! That is almost my exact running time in the 5K I ran a couple of weeks ago. I'm running one on Labor day and I hope to get in the 27's too.

[Karen in SC]

Good luck!

Have you read up at all about barefoot running? My husband has gotten into it.