This week has been a week of ups and downs.
The beginning of the week I was on vacation, so I didn't get to run.
Here are my results from yesterday.
My first run:
Thirteen minutes and nine seconds a mile isn't really that bad at this stage in the game - especially at my 'level' which is about as new to the sport as you can possibly be - but I am just not happy with that. So, I took a second run a few hours later.
A mile in eleven minutes and fifty-two seconds! Woo hoo! Let me just tell you, I felt like a million bucks after that! My goal is do run a mile in less than nine minutes, but this was a good start. I was winded and I started getting cramps in my side, but I ran the whole thing. I worked through the pain, and it was awesome when I stepped back inside my house. I was sweating like a horse - a horse that just won the Kentucky Derby!
However, my run this morning, put a damper on my celebration.
Ugh! Back up to over thirteen minutes a mile?! Seriously?! I was so upset. My calves were sore from yesterday's less-than twelve minute mile. It was very windy and cold out today. Could these have been factors in my slower time? Possibly ... probably. But it doesn't stop me from being upset with myself when I did so well yesterday.
I was thinking about going for another run later today, but as time progresses my calves are getting sorer and sorer, so I think it's probably best to stay off of them, at least or the remainder of the day.
I have a question for avid runners out there. Should I be focused more on my speed right now, or distance? My goal is to run a marathon, but I feel like if I keep running thirteen to fourteen minute miles, this is going to get old real fast. Any suggestions on how to get my speed up to par without hurting myself too badly?
All in all, I'm proud of myself that I've been running every day that I can and I feel so energized when I'm finished. It's such a great feeling. Even though every mile isn't as great as I want it to be, its always one mile, one minute, one second closer to achieving my goals!
Happy running!