This might actually be working!

Last night I ran 5.35 miles in 45:49 (8:34 pace). This was all up and through the park, so there were hills like a normal road instead of the flatness of the sidewalks. This was a major accomplishment so far because of a few things:

1) The fact that I didn't have to stop upon pain of death by asphyxiation! I've run the hill at the north end of the park 4 times now, and it's always been a struggle between my mind and my body that my body always seems to lose. In fact, I would start breathing harder before the trail even started to go up - panic attack? Oh God, oh God, I shouldn't have come this way? I had to stop at the top and walk it off every time, at least for a few steps, so that I could catch my breath -- but not this time! My technique was to really concentrate on my breathing and I ended up robotically counting them as I tried to breathe in and out through my  nose and stretch out my stomach muscles so I wouldn't get a stitch. Just FYI, I took only 67 breaths coming down the hill, but over 200 on the way back up. I lost count because I was getting distracted by my legs falling off. However, at the top, I just kind of leaned back and breathed deep and the next thing I knew I was down the small rise and still going!

2) The distance itself. Technically, the total amount that I ran yesterday was more like 6.5 miles, because of the distance to and from the park that I wasn't timing. The previous times that I've run ~5 miles have ended up with my feet going numb or something else hurting just from the repetition. This time felt wonderful, though; I actually ran right past the normal cutover point at ~84th street (which is usually the part that I barely make it to, feeling like it's my last dying action to get my butt up to the crosswalk...) and continued down to the 72nd street cutover. Well, at least it felt wonderful until I stopped and stretched and walked it out. Then it hurt. Like really hurt. I iced when I got back to the apartment but still looked like an old woman hobbling around. Speaking of which, the knees are still fine! Looks like appropriate shoes do a world of good.

3) Ok, ok, fine! I'll do a warmup and stretch before starting the actual run. *Grumble* Adam was right. The times that I run right through the first mile without stopping to shake out the legs are the times that I have to stop right in the middle because my shins are so tight I can't extend my toes. What a difference between Sunday (no warmup stretch, had to stop twice, was really, really trying not to puke on the people passing me) and last night (warmup stretch, never had to stop, was really, really trying not to laugh like a maniac as I passed people).

4) This isn't a real "accomplishment", but I just think it's funny because I NEVER thought I'd have to have a music collection to listen to that was longer than an entire cd to last a whole run. Yeah... 45 minutes is a long time! Btw, last night was Big D and Less than Jake and some Goldfinger. Gotta love the out-of-sync trumpets and power chords as you're triumphantly topping the hill.

5) Did you know they are ticketing bicyclists who are running red lights in the park, even after dark with no one in sight? That's a desperate city trying to rake in the dough.

"Many people shy away from hills. They make it easy on themselves, but that limits their improvement. The more you repeat something, the stronger you get."
- Joe Catalano

100 days til relay day!