Seven miles. YEAHHHH!

Seven in the books!

For some reason, seven miles was a mental roadblock in my head.  It's longer than what the marathon-trainers are doing in their midweek runs.  It's closer to 90 minutes of running for me than not.  It could involve justifiably eating a GU.  Chaffing could occur.

Luckily, I have AWESOME friends who agreed to be there for me.  Sunday morning (at the ass-crack of dawn) Kerrie, Jill, and Megan all met to run on the Cedar River Trail.

We found Megan later on...

(dirty secret: I dislike running on 'trails' and 'pedestrian paths', unless there are friends involved.  I love nature, but *yawn*.  Give me some cars and boats and stuff to look at, kthx)

Jill, Kerrie & I set off three-wide on the trail.  It was a ghosttown.  The sun had risen about a half hour before, and the world was quiet.  I had my Nathan 2 Speed belt on - I hadn't been able to stop drinking water for the last three days & knew how grumpy I tend to get if I am parched running.  My jacket made it a whopping 1/2 mile in before it was tied around my waist. 

And then...we ran.  Kerrie & Jill chatted while I concentrated on warming up.  My ankles/lower calves were cranky, and I grunted through a few miles.  Megan appeared at 1.5 in - 'HEY CHELSEA!'.  Quick round of introductions and now we were four-wide, laughing and talking about TMI things.  (Oh wait, that was just me).

Out to the turnaround point and I spoiled myself w/ a Chocolate Outrage Gu.  (Did I really need it?  Eh.  ARE THEY DELICIOUS? YES.  THEREFORE I WILL EAT ONE.)

There's such a pressure when I run with others (especially speedy ones) to push myself to meet their pace.  I know Kerrie.  I know Jill.  They know my pace.  I stuck TO MY PLAN!  Running.  Walking when needed.  Pushed myself to add an extra 100 steps when I felt like I was going to die.  Last mile should be fastest.  Go Go Go! 

And you know what?  It worked.  7 done at my long run goal pace of 12:15/mi.  That roadblock?  Decimated.  Tummy trouble?  Overcome.  Banana?  Eaten.  First almost-ice-water post-run bath?  BRRRRR. 

High-fives for being AWESOME

Thanks to Kerrie, Jill, and Megan for being AWESOME and sticking with me.  It meant more than you know!  A year ago I was strugging to run 1/4 mile without dying..and here I am busting out seven.

I was squirting out water, being silly, Kerrie or Jill said it looked like I was doing something else...