Woot! I fought myself & won!

Memorial Day weekend I went for a hike in the woods with my kids. It was a very steep hike. My calves and quads were screaming at me. They were still super unhappy Friday.

Saturday (today) I was scheduled to run a 7-mile race. My only goal was to better my time from the previous race two weeks ago. I'd looked at the competitor results from last year and I knew there was no way I was coming out on top with this group of runners.

I hemmed and hawed...I hurt...it was SEVEN miles...I couldn't do it in the allotted time...people were being non-supportive...I felt FAIL! 

I had options: do the 7-mile walk instead, do the 2-mile run instead, or do nothing.

I figured I needed to check in by 7, which meant setting the alarm at 6.

Six came...and six went...and I was still in bed.

I could just stay here, I thought. No one will know.

Except, I couldn't. I would know...and I would wonder if I did myself a major disservice by not believing I could do it.

So, I got up.

When I checked in I asked about the 2-miler. They said I was welcome to switch.

I didn't.

I ran. At mile one my runkeeper (cool app by the way) said I was doing a 10-minute mile pace! What!? Really? Woo hoo!

I kept running...and I walked...and I jogged. At the 5-mile mark I was 40-seconds per mile faster than two weeks ago. Goal accomplished. That was the one thing I wanted to do...to be better and to just keep improving.

And I kept pushing...through the last two miles. I got passed by an old lady a quarter mile from the finish. Which made me kind of sad. I'm pretty sure I was the last one to finish.

But, you know what?

I don't really care...cause for this I was racing myself. I was racing against my doubts...and I won. :P

Two weeks until Spartan!