Facebook has reminded me that I wrote a blog post on this very day last year, when I declared that January would be the official beginning of my 10k training.
Well, I'm back it. This time training for a -gasp!- 10 mile race. Although I ran two 10k races this year-- and lived the tell the tale-- and although I have five months to prepare, I may be even more terrified than I was last year. Ten. Miles. MILES. That's more than kilometers, people. It's not quite as scary as a half marathon. But still, who does this? You know what will be fun, guys? Let's pay money to wake up before dawn on a Sunday in the summer to hobble across a finish line looking like a stroke victim. What a photo op! Maybe I'll lose a toenail. Maybe I'll get heat exhaustion. This can only end in disaster.
Then again, I really started to think about what scared me so much last year:
You'll have to start running 5 days a week, they say. You'll need to average 15-20 miles a week. Get used to running 60 minutes at a time. Get used to declining social invitations.
I typically run 3-4 times a week.
I average close to 15 miles a week.
I often run for 60 minutes at a time (and don't actually mind that much. Dare I say I even ENJOY it??)
I do pass on social invitations when I need to.
So, if I got over these hurdles of 10k training, I can get over the hurdles of 10 mile training. I haven't officially begin yet, but unlike last year, I don't feel as though I failing already. I may have two (ok, three. ok, four. stop interrogating me!) cupcakes yesterday and I may have skipped a run last night for less intense cardio at home instead. And I may still be scared. But I am excited, too. I'm excited to accomplish a new goal, excited to show myself how strong I am. And I'm ready. Let's do this!
