Beth runs with a Friend!

On tap for today was a 10 mile run.  I committed to running with a co-worker.  Boy was I nervous!!!  I did run with Carrie (fellow Team Lung Lover) in the Providence Half Marathon, and we did pretty well.  For starters she was a girl.  My co-worker is a guy, a fast guy, like 7:30 5K pace guy.  Needless to say I didn't sleep well worrying if my paltry 10 pace was going to bore him to tears.  Yeah, yeah, I should have factored in that 10M is 3x as long as a 5K and he is a friendly runner guy, not an elitist runner guy, and he was warned I was 'slow'.  But still, I do like to worry on occasion.

My runner friend mapped out a nice route with water and pit stops.  I don't know the area so it didn't make much sense to me, I just knew it was 10.35 miles per his mapping program.  I was good with that.  I can run 10 miles, not a problem.

Let us not forget I ran 6 miles, barefoot, on the beach Saturday morning and didn't even factor this into the whole, lack of sleep nervous state I had gotten myself into.  I felt my usual craptastic miles 1 - 3.  Seriously, anyone else feel this way?  Is it mental?  How do I over come it? Mile 4 I was feeling pretty great and we kept on keeping on.  For starters it was down hill, and back towards the shore, shady, and yes back towards the car.  Did I mention downhill?

We chatted and ran, so I wasn't struggling with my pace, we were around 10 - 10:30, which he claimed was fine, and it was.  Mile 8 things began to fall apart a bit and we walked and ran till I just called it quits, apologizing the whole time.  We walked the last mile and called it a good 9 mile run.  Point of information, his Achilles tendon hurt, so he was happy for the reprieve walking allowed.

The surprise was the view at the 'end' of the run, where he planned we would walk.  OMG, stunning.  The picture doesn't do it justice, but here it is anyhow:

I got home, iced my left foot as my Plantar Fasciitis is acting up.  Didn't bug me when I ran on the beach, hmmm... and spent the balance of the day playing with the dogs, reading, and playing Words With Friends.

What did I learn?

1. If someone says they want to run with you, they do
2. It is not a race
3. If you need to take a break take a break
4. It is a little stressful running with someone for the first time, for both of you, cut yourself some slack