Long and Winding Road

Holy crappy I don't know where to begin tonight because so many things are swirling around in my head along with a splash of Michelob Ultra.

I'm mostly random in thought because of the running I have been doing lately with my training partner Running Buddy.  I think we may have reached a "cross roads" if you will....in terms of where we are in our running.  I think I may have pegged a comfortable pace that allows me to be more confident about the possibility of a Boston Qualifying time in the spring.  The jury is out....but it's looking a little better each week with the specific workouts and speed training.  

Man, is it starting to pay off....

AND.....I have been working very hard to help Running Buddy get to that same damn place but I feel like we are moving in a backward motion....so,  I watch helplessly and uselessly as she gets more and more frustrated.

I have run out of things to do.....and I can't help but think that Im part of the problem because I'm making my way along the long and winding road.....and Running Buddy struggles to keep up.

Ever feel like you are in a war between feeling like you are quitting when the going gets tough and doing the right thing?

I encouraged Running Buddy to go ahead and do all this week's training runs with Running Gal Pal....not with me.  I'm hoping that by running with our Gal Pal, Running Buddy won't feel as anxious to keep up with me and not disappoint or hold me back.  It's an experiment and I hope it works because Running Buddy needs to get a dash of confidence and running with me just isnt working.  I know its the "right thing to do" for my friend....so why do I feel like I'm giving up a little?

So......here is a little dedication to the journey Running Buddy and I have taken since we both decided to try to qualify for Boston.....by the way we were total strangers before we ran her first marathon together....

Total days we have gone running together:  90

Miles we have gone together: over 800

Weeks we have run together: 24

Races we have done together: 7 to include 

                          -Shamrock Marathon

                          -Dismal Swamp Stomp 1/2

                          -Chesapeake Bay 10K

                          -Autism Awareness 5K

                          -EquiKids 5K and hound run

                          -Elizabeth River Run 8K

                          -ECSC 5K

Countless and priceless hours of laughing, coaching, sweating, whining, and talking.....

Soooo.......tonight I shocked the mother living shit out of meeself......I did my 9 mile pace run at 7:51 mpm!!!  Well BUTTER MY BUNS AND CALL ME A BISCUIT!! 

Things are a changin' around here!!  And the really really awesome thing is that I felt like I could have gone one more mile at that pace.....and maybe even if I had to slow down a pinch....I could have still made a 1/2 marathon time close to 1:45 which is my goal for Fleetweek. Hmmmmm......

Still my heart is sad tonight despite my great run.  And my legs and ass hurt like hell.

Stayed tuned to the East Coast runner........