Determination = 10 Miles in a Sauna

I just came back from a brutal 10 mile run, but I got it done and feel great now that it is over. I am in Ft. Lauderdale with Jason visiting his parents, so I had to run this one by myself, without the comfort of my Galloway group. I could not find my ipod shuffle to keep me company, but since I always carry my phone anyway, I figured I could listen to music on that, and it worked well.

I did this same run alone last winter, but it was cold and thus not nearly as much of a struggle. The heat and humidity adds a whole new level of difficulty and requires some serious determination and mental strength. It was literally like running in a sauna, because I was steamy from the very start. I am glad I brought a towel with me, because I was wiping my face during almost every walk break.

This run really tested my mental resolve, and I am so glad I didn't skip the run like I contemplated ever so briefly. I needed to clear my head, and I feel much better now, even if my feet disagree. My legs felt heavy, and my feet were achy, so I started really slow at 14:20 then gradually picked up the pace as I went to finish with a 13:31 min/mi average. Splits: 14:20 - 14:19 - 13:48 - 13:52 - 13:17 - 13:26 - 13:23 - 12:57 - 12:53 - 12:50.

Funny story ... while I was huffing and puffing during the last few miles, a women pulls up next to me and offers me a pamphlet. I have no idea what it was about, but I am guessing god because I think it resembled the one the Spanish Jehovah's witness tried to give me at the train station yesterday. I waved her off, she wished me a nice day, and drove off. But seriously? Can you not see I am running here? Do you really think I am going to stop to grab your stupid pamphlet and then proceed to carry it with me for the rest of the run? It would be a wet mess by the time I finished anyway. Unbelievable!

Jason asked me last night, as I was complaining about my aching feet and not looking forward to running 10 miles in the heat and humidity this morning alone, that if I am not enjoying running why do it? And I can see how from his perspective it would seem that way. But I was not complaining about the running, I enjoy the running immensely! It keeps me sane. What I don't always enjoy is what it takes -- the aches and pains that sometimes follow, waking up early and thus having to go to bed early, running in a sauna, etc. But no matter what, I always feel 100% better after I am done with the run, no matter how difficult. In fact, the more difficult the run, the better I feel about completing it. I guess we runners are masochists =P But I wouldn't give it up for the world.