Well it's been a little while since I contributed to the running blog. I have done quite a few runs since then, and have not had any cramps creep up on me again. Yay! I definitely think it was a hydration thing...
Training for the 10-mile Blessing has been an adventure between packing/moving, working, studying, traveling. However, running is something that will always be included in that list. I have been able to find my inner peace when running. It is my way to get away, even for just a little bit. It is perfect. Running is my meditation. It's funny how something that involves such intense physical activity can completely relax me like it does. I ran another 8 mile run last Thursday at the East Bay bike path... It was later in the day so it was just starting to cool off. The temperature was perfect! It was fun and the time went by so fast! I ran a total of 8.3 miles in an hour and 30 minutes. Not too shabby for pacing myself the whole way.
Today, I find myself in Martha's Vineyard for a few days... relaxing and "studying"... I brought my review book at least! :-P I am here for a few days visiting my friend Jenna. I went for a run today while I am here. It's a 3.1 mile loop from where I am staying, up-island in Aquinnah... where there is no cell phone service, but we have internet!
The run was one of the most relaxing runs I have done so far. After a day of shopping and dining in Oak Bluffs and beaching for a couple of hours, a run seemed to fit right in there. It was just starting to cool down for the day at about 5:30 in the evening. This run was perhaps the prettiest run I have done thus far. The beautiful scenery of ocean and island trees/bushes, and even Gay Head lighthouse! The run started off pretty quick, I was strutting along comfortably at a 9:30 pace. Then a left turn down Old South Rd which leads to dirt road for a while. The dirt road leads to another left turn up a long gradual hill. This was probably the largest hill I have ever run, it was brutal. My pace went from 9:30 to almost 12. My heart rate reached 178 bpm at the climax of the hill. I was pushing it. Three miles suddenly felt like five. I pushed myself up the hill still at a "running" pace. I finally saw the end of the road where it flatens out again. My heart rate went back down to my average 155-160 bpm. I was in the home-stretch. I was so pumped that I kept running up that hill that my pace got even faster. I averaged about a 9 min pace after the hill and made the run in just about 30 minutes. Then hopped into an outdoor shower straight into a hot tub. Ahhhhhhh the life :-)
Now onto studying? Haha, maybe...
My goal is to run 2 more times while I am here on the Vineyard. Complete relaxation until it's time to return to the real world and hit the "studying" grindstone again...
-Jess (Nike+ LunarLite)
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