Double Digits!!!

Hey y'all!!

I'm in Austin for my cousin's wedding, hence the "y'all" - just go with it. ANYwho, I have hit a huge milestone in my marathon training. Yesterday morning I ran 10.1 miles. TEN POINT ONE FREAKING MILES!!! I finally feel like a legit distance runner. I feel like 10 miles somehow makes it official. There's a lake here in ATX called Town Lake that has a big loop that is exactly 10.1. My initial plan was to run 9.3 (since my TNTers back in NY are running a 15K this weekend) and then walk the last bit as a cool down. I don't know if it's the sunshine or the Austin air or the abundance of oxygen coming off the trees around the lake, but I felt so so so good and so strong, so I decided to finish out the full loop. I can't believe I did it. That was the most incredible feeling.

I was anxious ahead of time, for 2 reasons. First, this was the first long run I've had to do on my own (except for the 2nd week which was like 4 miles, and that isn't long). Second, I ran at the lake on Friday (just 4 miles, actually) and it was kind of a crappy run. The lake was beautiful, and the trail is great because it's gravel so it's easier on your knees, but for some reason the run was more of an effort than I'd like. I was thinking "Well shit, if I can't even run 4 comfortably this weekend how the hell am I gonna get through 9", but the long run felt amazing and went perfectly. I didn't really even have to push myself, and at the end I wasn't dying - truthfully I felt like I could keep going. This is blowing my mind, y'all - and yes that was 2 y'alls in one post. Yikes! And it turns out I can do it on my own, sans running partners, sans iPod. Just me and the trail. I am so much more capable than I think I am.

I turn 26 tomorrow, and I'm grateful that I hit such a big milestone at 25 :) It sounds silly but turning 25 was kind of a big birthday, and I'm glad I was able to hit the double digit mileage to kind of bookend the year. I think 2010 is a big year for me. Lots of positive changes, lots of activity, and maybe actually figuring out some other big things too.