In the Long Run

July 2011, I get a call from my friend Dave who asks me if I want to join him, Tyler and a marathon runner named Mitch for a 10 mile long run every Saturday.  Apparently Mitch was in training for the Chicago marathon and wanted some company for the last 10 miles of his run.  Dave didn't have to ask me twice!  I haven't participated in a group training run since high school.

Up until this time, my longest run was about 9 miles when I was about 17 years old.  And, my longest run over the summer was just over 8 miles.  I knew when Dave called that I could run 10 miles and maybe even further.  My problem was that I just really didn't want to run that long of a distance.  I never had a desire to ever run a half marathon, let alone a marathon!  THOSE people were crazy!  How would I keep myself entertained for that freaking long?  At the same time, I had a deep respect and was in awe of people who do run marathons.  It just wasn't for me.  I didn't doubt my ability to do so, I just lacked the desire.  I was perfectly good right where I was at.

As it turned out, that first 10 mile run it was just Dave, Mitch, and I.  We started at Yahoola Park at about 6:30am'ish.  Mitch had already ran several miles before we even arrived in the dark.  How bad ass was that?  I warmed up, tried to do some pushups on my almost healed elbow,  while I waited on Dave to show up. So, Mitch and I are introduced and off we go for the long run.

I run in my usual pace and within a mile or so, Dave is telling me to slow down.  He is trying to tell me that I am running too fast for a long run.  No one has ever told me that I am TOO fast, of course, no one ever ran with me either at my pace.  I literally had no concept of why I needed to slow down.  I felt like I was slowing down as I knew I had to last the 10 miles.  No way, was I gonna let 2 guys leave me in their dust!  Not, that they would have, but the idea of it fueled my run.

Sure enough in mile 8, I get tired.  We are running the roads and hills in Dahlonega towards the end of July, and I'm getting hot.  That last major hill was a climb, and I never stopped running, but I was loosing steam.  Hills are my weakness.  Mitch runs behind me or along side of me and just talks me through it.  For that, I am forever grateful.  I can't ever recall a time before when someone actually helped me through a bad spot on my run.   As I reach the top of this hill, I gain my momentum again and start running faster.  I wanted to get this shit done!

At the end of this run, I was exhausted in a way I had not felt in a very long time, and I was hooked.  I thrive on challenge.  I was excited.  I wanted more. I continued to run the 10 miles with them for weeks or perhaps months.  Within 2 to 3 weeks, I notice that my mid-week runs are getting stronger and faster.  Ten miles with the "guys" is feeling easier and better.  And, by God, I want to run farther.  Never, thought I'd hear those words come ouf of my mouth!

And, so I did....