Mind Games

I got out the door at about 7:30AM Sunday morning to head to the park for a planed 6 mile run. I have learned that if I want to go for a run in the morning that I need to get all my stuff laid out the night before. If I don't I will try to talk myself in to not going. I wish I could have started a little earlier because I felt the heat with the first step out the door.

I get to the park and get moving. Right away my legs hurt and I have to start playing mind games. The first one is the one that everyone uses, I tell myself to run to the mile marker and then I can stop and stretch. As I get closer to the marker and start to feel a little better I tell myself to just get to the end of the loop (2.2 miles). I know that I can’t stop at the end of the loop because that is where my car is parked and I may head to the parking lot if I stop. I say just run a little beyond the end so you won't want to go to the car. I know that if I start another loop I will keep going. I have a thing about turnign around. I would rather run 2 mile forward then go ½ mile back.So now it is just make it to the half way point in the run (3 mile) At 3 miles I do stop and try to get my legs to loosen up. I walk for a 1/10th of a mile and I just feel worst then before I stopped. I start sweating bad and I can feel my legs start to cramp. So I get moving again.

As I continue to run I get to play the best mind game for me because a fast runner passes me going the other direction on the loop. Now this allows me to think “We passed at this mile marker and I will have to pass him again at that marker to be running at his pace”. Because the loop is 2.2 miles it takes me a little while to figure it out and then I question my math then add it again. By the time I figure it out I've run another mile. I do pass this guy again and we are running about the same pace. I know I'm not a fast runner and lately I've been even slower but I do keep up with some people that look to be moving quickly. They must stop and walk or I move faster then I think.

I get to 5 miles and start counting the markers and with ¼ mile to go I’m starting to struggle. I look back and can see some fast dude catching me and I play one more game, don’t let him catch me before I finish. It works! I hit six miles and start to walk. It felt good to finish and I had ½ mile walk to the car to get cooled down. I didn't get 10 steps and the fast dude passes me and says something like “come on, you’re almost at the end”. He had pulled the BIG mind game on me and smiled as he did it. I thought ya right, jackhole. Now, do I puss out and walk to the end or try to run to the finish? He ran way fast but I stuck right on the heels until the end. He kept going on for another lap and I turned towards the parking lot. I’m not happy that I let him make me run, I think I’m hurting more today from the last ½ mile then the first 6. Damn Pride!