Here Comes a Breakthrough...

Anytime you wanna do something new, it’s gonna be scary right? Sometimes we succeed and sometimes we fail, but we always try our best. So when Coach informed me that this weekend he wanted me to run 15 miles, I initially was freaked out. I have never run that far, and I have no running partner this weekend. I was all alone and yet facing a challenge I had never faced before. Couple that with the variable pain in my leg and I was almost in a panic last night. And then someone posted on my wall … that just 2 more miles than what you went the last 2 weekend. Your right, why freak myself out over nothing. Sure there are people around me during the half marathons, but I also generally run alone. Although the people help, in the end it’s ME who pushes ME!

So with this in mind, I set my route last night, packed my stuff, and decided on my clothes (temp of 33 degrees – planned to increase to 45 by run end). I got up the morning, ate my breakfast, and off I went to the park that started my route. I got there, started to pack my belt and realized I forgot my Chomps (fuel). I looked through my bag and found 2 half packets. I thought long and hard and decided I had to go back to the house to get them because it wouldn’t be enough. And I was NOT failing this run because of fueling issues.

So finally after my return trip home… I was ready to start. The first few miles were just painful. I don’t have any other words for it; it takes a while for the leg to loosen up. But despite not feeling great, my miles times were pretty decent. At mile 4 the leg started to loosen up a little bit and it was off to the part of the run with a new trail. The trail went up and down … and up and down… and up and down. Mile 5 I stopped to stretch out my leg a bit and I noticed I was really, really thirsty. This is a very bad sign for me because I get dehydrated very easy. I drank an entire 8oz bottle of G2 and I felt better. The trail ended and mile 6.5 and it was off to the return I went. My speed had lowered quite a bit, and I was just dragging a bit (and I don’t really know why). Mile 8 was one of the worst ones. At mile 9 the trail ended … and I stopped at a Shopko to get more G2. Despite packing 32oz of G2 I was down only 8oz left. At Shopko I literally drank an entire 20oz bottle and then refilled my bottles.

After leaving the Shopko, my leg had tightened up a little bit. I was limping a bit too … I started to give mental thoughts to myself like … oh you can’t do it, maybe you should quit, what were you thinking? I had posted to MFP that I was on mile 9 when I first arrived at Shopko … I stopped for a second and looked at all of the great msgs on my profile page and I KNEW I could do this. I won’t say the next mile was completed in a time I was proud of… but it was completed. Mile 11 was much better. At mile 12ish I realized that all was left was a turn for home. Unfortunately I had planned this route poorly… the entire trip back home except for the last ¾ of a mile … was uphill. The park that I started is on a hill … so in order to get back to the park, yep you guessed it, I have to go up the hill.

I started off for home and just tried to focus on running … a consistent running pace, who cares if its slow at least I am running. When I got to the biggest hill at mile 13.8 I just had to walk up it, I didn’t see the point in killing myself. Just over the hill and over the 14 mile mark … the oddest song came on my iPod. I have never heard this song before… I believe it’s a Disney band called Lemonade Mouth. The lyrics are listed below…. (please read it’s inspiring).

(Here we go)
Sometimes it's raising your voice
Sometimes it's making some noise
Sometimes it's proving to the world it was wrong

Whenever you can't see the light
Whenever there's no end in sight
Keep on, keep on moving on
Keep on moving on

Here comes a breakthrough, here comes a day
Here comes a moment that you gotta go for it
So don't let it get away
It's time I breakthrough
Just turn the page
Cause everyday I'm getting closer
Life is just a roller coaster

Stop, still take another breath
Road block, move it to the left
Get around whatever is in your way
Heartbreak, pick up all the pieces
Don't stop dancin' in the bleachers
It's gonna be your turn to play
Gonna be your turn to play

Sometimes it's raising your voice
Sometimes it's making some noise
Sometimes it's proving to the world it was wrong

Whenever you can't see the light
Whenever there's no end in sight (Here we go)
Keep on, keep on moving on
Keep on moving on

Here comes a breakthrough, here comes a day
Here comes a moment that you gotta go for it
So don't let it get away
It's time I breakthrough
Just turn the page
Cause everyday I'm getting closer
Life is just a roller coaster

I am not a crier or an emotional person… but this brought literally tears to my eyes (and still does as I type this). I played that song over and over until I had finished the 15 miles … with tears in my eyes.

Holy crap… I finished all 15 miles. I was even able to run the entire last ½ mile including another hill without STOPPING. I was NOT stopping for anything! Tears are streaming down my face … and I’m doing my best to not make it obvious. Here comes a breakthrough… OMG yes! One year ago I was 27 pounds heavier and DREAMING of finishing the 5 mile Turkey Trot race.

I may not be the fastest, or have the best form, or even LOOK like a runner… but I am my own type of runner. I am me, and me just finished 15 miles today. Coach planned on 4 hours for the activity, and I even beat that and finished it in 3:41. Ok, I’m sure someone is going to think I am tremendously slow… and I am! My goal for the marathon is to finish… period!

Thank you to everyone for all of the support through this journey. I am sore, and I got to have my first ice bath today (quite miserable)! My blister held up but it’s not too pretty, and my leg got totally better during the run again. My right hamstring is super tight and painful and I don’t know why … I guess these things just happen!

But none of this matters because … I finished 15 freaking miles!