Epiphany in the 7th mile

Hoo, boy. Did I mention that I turned 54 last weekend?

Today was 10-mile day, and it was a revelation. On my birthday last Sunday, I got up early and cranked out 4 miles on the treadmill, mainly so I could own a sense of accomplishment on a milestone day. During the week, two more 4s and a 3, all on the treadmill. And none of them all that easy. Friends, if you're training up to a long distance run, don't neglect the midweek maintenance runs. Missing one this week would've put me out of the game.

As it turned out, I was almost out anyway. The weather today was good for running 10: cloudy, high 50's. We chose to run on the measured course at Moss-Wright Park in Goodlettsville. We ran the 2.1 four times, then the 1.5, plus a little, to make 10. About half the course is asphalt, half cinder. When we hit the cinder part of the track, I started to suffer, my ankles, shins and feet feeling fatigued and worn out. By the time we hit cinders the second lap, now 3+ miles into the 10 mile run, I was worried. The third time, it was serious; I'm tired, I'm winded, I'm wondering if I need a stress test before the half marathon. Trying to imagine how we'll survive financially if I need a bypass operation. Don't laugh, this is serious.

Now, here's the spot where experienced runners can feel free to sneer. I came around again, wondering if I needed to walk a while; then, I tried lifting my chin and looking a little farther ahead on the path.

Everything changed. The legs got better, the wind got better - I wasn't quite new again, but running was suddenly so much easier I had to hold back to keep from running away from QMH. I had adopted a dumb, beginner's bad habit, something like 25 years into my career as a jogger: mostly because of the discomfort in my left foot, I have been watching my feet so closely that I screwed up my form. Tilt the chin up a few degrees so my feet disappear, and I can run as well as I should be running at this stage in my half marathon training course.

The rest of the 10 miles was about as easy as it should be after the training we've been doing.

Did I mention my new shoes? Just a fresh pair of New Balance 991s, my standard shoes for close to a decade. Did I mention that the brainless greyhound chewed a hole in the right toe, just a week after I opened the box, before the shoes had 10 miles on them, for crying out loud?

Next weekend we must skip forward to a 12 mile run, to adhere to our schedule for the 1/2 marathon on March 18. Chin up!