Legs of lead

It's amazing.  I woke up this morning and I could barely hobble to the kitchen to down a glass of water.  I haven't run in 3 days and my legs felt like wood.  I was like a peg legged sailor stumbling about at 6 AM.  On top of that I visited some friends in the kitchen at Gramercy Tavern last evening and they coerced me into staying for a few bites.  Yeah right.  I stumbled out at max capacity, bursting at the seems.  I dreaded the morning and the run to come.

But the morning did come, I dressed and walked to the park and could not believe how stiff I was. My legs were like sticks.  By the time I got to the park I was slightly loose, but still pretty stiff and I thought to myself; "Ain't gonna happen today. No way.".  For the life of me I couldn't see myself running a mile.

I started out rather briskly (for me anyways) and I quickly got into a pace that was comfortable, but challenging as well.  I wasn't panting like a dog, but I was taking in air. After, let's say, 200 yards I felt pretty good.  I was comfortable, I was brisk and rather light on my feet (if I may say so myself), I decided to challenge myself.  I would speed up for 50 yards and then slow down to my regular pace for 50 Yards,  I did this, more or less, for the first mile and then my IPHONE-Coach-app-thingy informed me that my pace for the first mile was 10:21!

Quiet, subtle, fist pump for me.

I even managed to keep this pace for two miles.

And then I ran out of gas.

I did manage to run 3.4 miles with final average pace of 11:16. It is my personal best so far and it makes me very proud.  Emil Zatopek i'm not, but hey, not everyone is.  I don't really know how it works, or why, this running thing.  I know that I felt like the Tin Man this morning when I walked to the park and I had my best run to date.... WEIRD.

I also ENJOYED my run... mostly.  I definitely had long'ish moments of feeling loose and light. Perhaps even moments of zen.  I gotta say, its the first time I felt like there were real results happening.

I am only going to run 2.5 on Friday and I will start my actual 10 K training on Monday.