SIX MILES!!

Well, hot damn! I decided that this morning would be my first really long run. I have done 5 miles once (with some walking), and have been doing 4 and 3 mile runs on a regular basis. Justin and I got up early (5:40am) and headed out to the local 1 1/2 mile paved path to run. Obviously 4 loops would equal my 6 mile goal. I should've known that Justin wouldn't keep pace with me. It didn't work before when we ran together, and it didn't work this time. So, although I had the suspicion we wouldn't actually run and chitchat, I left my iPod headphones at home. I had the iPod on with my Nike + so I could track my mileage and speed, but no way to listen to music once Justin left me in the dust. So as if it weren't impressive enough that I did 6 miles, I did 6 miles without music or podcasts!

I walked .25 miles to warm up and .25 miles to cool down. I also walked about half a mile in the middle of the six miles, because I needed to drink some water, and my legs were feeling really heavy. But I ran the rest! I felt a little slow, but at least I was jogging. I am very proud of myself and satisfied with my effort. And since we're hitting the beach today with chips, hot dogs, and beer, I really needed to burn those calories.

Jenn S., are you reading this? I was attacked by a red-winged blackbird on my running loop. Obviously she had a nest in a tree near the path. I ran under the tree and felt a tug on the hair on the top of my head. I thought I had brushed my head against a branch, but when I raised my hand I hit a bird! I jogged on, looking back at it hovering by the tree. Then, as I turned back to look in the direction I was running, the little shit attacked again! I could feel her claws (talons? digits? what do you call little bird feet?) pulling at my hair. Let's just say that in the moments shortly following this attack, I hit one of my peak speeds on my run.

I didn't have very much leg or foot pain at all today, and my breathing was pretty good. I just got tired/heavy legs in the middle. I got a bit of a sunburn yesterday, so maybe I was a little dehydrated. Or maybe it was just that this was my longest run yet. I'm not sure. At any rate, I feel somewhat reassured that I ran *almost* a half of a half marathon today.