Nine Point Five

My official marathon training with the DC Road Runners starts next Saturday, June 10. DCRR suggests that, before joining its marathon program, "runners should be able to complete a 10-mile run with weekly mileage of 25 miles per week."

Well, I'm not quite hitting the 25-miles-per-week mark, and I've only run 10 miles once, but Max, the guy who runs the program, said it would be good if I could get in at least an 8-mile run by next Saturday.

So of course that meant I had to run 10 miles today, not eight. Because if you're going to run four miles and turn around, well, why not run five? This is how I think.

I got up at 6:00; Number One Daughter was also headed out early, laden with homemade cookies, to Camden, New Jersey, to see the BF compete in the IRA Nationals, the "oldest collegiate rowing championship in the United States." It took the same amount of time for her to drive from D.C. to Camden as it took me to run 9.5 miles. Something about that is not right.

I ran on the Capital Crescent trail, which was largely empty for the first hour, then taken over by Team in Training. I didn't mind, it was nice to have company on this dreary, coolish, drizzly day.

When I got to 4.5 miles, the bargaining began. "Nine miles is perfectly reasonable. Jumping from seven to nine in one week is much smarter than jumping from seven to 10." Yes, it is. So I turned and headed back.

Aside from my heart racing for the first four miles, I felt fine. I knew I had a blister developing on the bottom of my right foot (yes, new place, thanks to new shoes). I had been trying to put it out of my mind, but I guess it bothered me more than I realized, because:

Right around mile five, someone running in the opposite direction stopped suddenly and said "Are you Jeanne? The one with the blog?" Wow!!! This is what being famous must be like! I said yes, and asked who she was and she said "annonymous" mostly, but turns out her name is Karen (yes, Karen, you have been OUTED!!!). I asked how did she recognize me, and she was too polite to say, well, you wear the exact same outfit in every photo, so it wasn't hard. Then, I'm pretty sure K. said something about how she actually likes reading this thing.

And what did I say back to her? Did I say, awww thanks? No, because that would be normal. What I actually said was something like this: "Well, it's funny you should say that, because I was just this minute thinking maybe I could stop running entirely and just shut down the blog."

Nice.

Anonymous K. looked slightly stricken, until I said no, no I'm just kidding!! har-de-har. K. was quickly on her way after that.

So I ask you, people: What the HELL is wrong with me? Why is there absolutely no filter between what I'm thinking and what comes outta my mouth??

Sigh.

So K., if you're still reading this (although why would you be, really?) what I meant to say was: Hey, thanks for reading and for saying hi, and especially for saying something nice!

Because my next thought after your nice comment was: Hey, this running thing is great!! And (of course), I can't wait to blog this!

Here are the stats on today's run:
1: 11:31
2: 11:22
3: 11:03
4: 11:15
5: 12:09 (water and my fan club—K.—stopping to talk)
6: 11:04
7: 11:45 (water stop)
8: 11:56 (right foot is busy bursting into flames)
9: 10:46 (bring it on home, sistah!)

And if you can run nine miles, you can surely run at least 1/2 mile more, foot afire or not, so:

.5: 5:34

Total time for 9.5 miles: 1:48:31, avg: 11:25 min/miles.

And K., don't be afraid to say hi again next time. I swear I'm normal. No, really.