I Can Bring Home the Tofu* ...

"... Fry it up in a pan And never let you forget you're a man 'Cuz I'm a woman -- W-O-M-A-N!"

Today's 10-miler mad recap:

First, was total nervous wreck as usual.
Second, metamucil wafers rock.
Third, temperature=67 °; light rain.
Fourth, got about ten minutes of sleep last night (excessive worrying about other problems).
Fifth ... ok, enough of this.

Got to training site at 6:30 a.m.; peed in park (natch). Today was 10 miles at 13:30 pace, running 3 min/walking 1 min.

I ran with the group (which I am now doing consistently. People, I have a group!) Until ... mile 7ish, when ... well, see for yourself:

lap 1: 15:29 (includes warm-up walk)
lap 2 (miles 2 & 3): 25:57 (still can't work @#%$& watch!)
3: 13:22
4: 13:18
5: 12:51
6: 12:27
7: 13:48 (yeah, whatever)
8: 10:34
9:11:06

(Mile numbers are all screwed up; but it was 10, I swear.)

Total: 2:08/Average:12:51 min./mile

(June 18, 2005: 10 miles: 2:26)

I don't know what the hell happened. I was setting a pretty good pace for once, for me, not at the back of the pack, for once, which was extremely odd, especially considering lack of sleep, and um, I had, um, my PERIOD. (Ok? I just said it out loud. Sheesh.)

For once, I was pretty much at the front of the group for the entire run. But something happened around mile 7.

One woman in our group is teeny tiny, runs like the wind (relatively speaking) and is always ahead of all of us. I think it just got on my last nerve that I wasn't keeping up with her. So, I decided to keep up with her. The next thing I knew, I was in front of her. I was leading my group!! At mile 8, a water stop, I got my water without stopping, and then I just took off!! I was still doing the run/walk thing, but the insane thing is, I still managed a 10:34 min.

WTF??? (Not that I'm complaining.)

I left the group behind me. For once.

(Is this bad? Was this a bad thing to do?)

I think it was a combination of being sick of being slow, and a lovely rainy morning. Plus, ok, I admit it: I wanted to show off, just a little bit, because this group has never seen me do anything but come in last.

So, whatever. I know it's not a race, and I'm probably a big baby for doing it, but it felt amazing!!

But wait! That's not all!!

At about 8.5 miles, a bunch of military recruits are running toward me! A whole big bunch (platoon? swarm? whatever). This was right in front of the Capitol building. I almost cried, it was magical to hear their commander (sargeant? fearless leader?) counting out for them, and they were all running in step. I was all by myself, and I clapped for them, which made them smile, which they will probably be shot for later on.

But wait! That's not all!!

Thursday night, I ran 4 miles (god I hate hate hate night running.) Despite hating night running (isn't that an R.E.M. song?) here are the numbers from that run:

10:31
9:56 (!!!!)
10:35
13:38 (walked 1/2)

Holy freakin' shoot. Sub-10??? That was the FIRST TIME EVER!!

So, I don't know what's going on, but now you all know too, and I am, for once, exceptionally PROUD of myself! (I think, anyway.)

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In other news, I have an enormous decision to make this weekend, which will affect my life for many years to come. For real. And I'm so freakin' about it. So, I'd better go flip a coin, or google "how to make a decision," and figure this thing out.

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*acceptable bacon substitute