After last night’s disappointment, I was well-prepared for tonight. The plan called for 40 minutes of running. So I adjusted my expectations and decided to split that time into two 20-minute runs.
Oh, and in other, semi-related news, I bought a sexy new accessory for my sexy nano. The Nike Dri-Fit armband. Nike MP3 players? Not so sexy, they’re bulky and ugly. Apple iPod nanos? Sexy, slim and sleek. Nike armband for iPod nano? Sexy. See?
That’s my sexy hairy arm. Nice, huh?
I got the armband because not all of my running shorts have suitable pockets that hold the nano. I needed something, and I don’t like clips and cases hanging off my clothes when I’m running.
OK, back to the actual running. Because I accidentally did the strength training on Monday when I’d planned it for tonight, I could skip that part. I got one of the good treadmills, warmed up with a walk as usual, and then set the time for 20 minutes, a pace of 10:20 and a 2% incline, or a Level 2 incline, whatever. Mild incline, is what I’m sayin’. And I started running.
Everything felt fine, just the normal running discomfort, until about 12 minutes into it, at which point I realized that I could probably have gone the whole distance in one set.
Oh, my negative inner voice kept trying to talk me out of doing the whole thing – it suggested that I shouldn’t be running so far tonight if I’m doing speedwork tomorrow, it suggested that I just do 30 minutes instead, it kept trying to talk me into walking… but I finished the first 20 minutes without stopping to walk at all. It was beautiful. Even my breathing didn’t get too labored or tight, but that might be because I took an extra Sudafed an hour before running to help clear things up.
I took a bathroom break, about 5-10 minutes, tops, and came back to my treadmill. Again, set a time of 20 minutes, a pace of 10:20, and a Level 2 incline, and started running again. Breathing was, if anything, easier. I swear that I breathe better after warming up than I do while I’m warming up, which I will note for later. And, again, I made it through the whole 20 minutes without having to stop to walk or any change in pace at all.
Tomorrow night will be difficult but a) I’m giving myself permission to take at least one break at the mid-point, and b) my “slow” speed might have to be actual walking, instead of a jog. But I now have no doubt that I will soon be back in the same shape I was in last fall. And then I’ll exceed my previous condition…