19- proud of this one!

I decided to blog now rather than this evening because I have a few minutes between work/running and coffee date/swim class.  And, when I get home at 9pm tonite, I'm just going to want to shove some dinner in my mouth and hit the sack because I have an even earlier work day tomorrow (Pasty day = 5am start to shift, rather than 6am)  I'm actually excited because I've never worked a Thursday (usually a long teaching day for me) so it should be fun for a change!  I'm trying to see the bright side of my work this week.....

PSA: Spring is nice because there is finally no more ice in Michigan.  Spring sucks because the wind is SO INTENSE in Michigan.

That PSA was the undercurrent of my run.  Actually, as the title states, I'm pretty proud of today's run.  I got out of work at 1pm, and felt fortunate.  Some of the people in the pastry kitchen were just coming into work and said they were jealous that I was leaving because it was such a beautiful day!  That is the good part about working these early shifts = still lots of the day left (when I don't have to go teach!)  With that in mind, I was very phyched for this run.  The sun was out and I felt like it was 'play time' after a day at work.  After a quick change in my car, I set out on a new route into the farmland vs. the city like I usually do from the bakery.  After the first 1/2 mile I could tell it wasn't good.  The wind was SO STRONG, and my legs always feel sluggish from being on my feet for 7-8 hours.  I kept thinking about marathonmadien and her 20 miler because I can only imagine how tough she had it!  The good news (or so I told myself) was that I was headed against it for the first quarter of the run.  Sooo, I just told myself that today was an easy day and I should just pack it in and chill out, run 9 min miles or whatever.  Of course, no looking at the Garmin!  I also didn't realize (or didn't think about) the fact that farm country = hilly.  The course felt uphill more than downhill, which I realize wasn't possible considering I started and ended in the same place!  I tried to just stride it out when I could and enjoy the run.  There was zero shade and it was full on sun and probably in the 60s.  Let me tell you - I LOVE the heat.  It felt great.  I can handle the heat better than most people (and suck at handling the cold) so it was great to run in the heat of the day. 

Why am I proud?  Because after a couple of days of *meh* runs (ie not horrible, but not great) this one was GOOD.  I knew I had to be almost back to the bakery, so I looked at my watch right when it clicked to 8 miles- Mile 8 = 7:21!!!  I had no idea.  With that, I pushed the last mile, and ended up finishing 9 miles at a 7:26 min/mile pace!  But for me, it is more about my splits because I'm so bad at keeping it even and I knew the first half was so uphill/windy.  Splits:

7:13 - somehow I always start fast!?!
7:25
7:30
7:26
7:22
7:32
7:36
7:21
7:35
last mile cooldown (untimed)

This was the best part of the run for me- how close the miles were, despite the conditions.  (ha, those splits are really close for me!)  It is proving to me that my body can lock into a pace and keep it.  The last mile was tough, but the others I spent zero time looking at my Garmin or thinking about pace other than "jeez this wind sucks, just keep moving forward!"  Now, if only I could keep that pace for 26.2 miles rather than just 10 miles.....

Oh well.  It is nice when a run surprises you, especially after a few runs that have felt just 'ok' or bad.  I'm off to reset my body via swim class!  It's my last one :(  Tomorrow I probably won't get in a triple workout because of my early work schedule.  Who knows what's on tap all I know is I LOVE THIS WEATHER! :)

Hope it is warm and sunny where you are! :)