Running: Then vs Now

THEN (meaning last winter/spring's 1/2 marathon training):

*I was pretty sure that I just might actually die trying to complete a 1/2 marathon...

*I had only ran a full 3 miles a couple of  times when I signed up for my first race...

*I could not even imagine running the 5 miles that I would need to do several times throughout my training, let alone 12-13 miles...

*I felt WAY in over my head, but was determined to do it...

*I could normally run the entire time, as long as it was a distance I had ran before, but if it was not...

*I had to take walk breaks quite often, especially when running the "new" part of the distance...

*I was constantly checking weather reports and wind speeds to find the "best" days to run...

*I always took my MP3 player with me...

*I was SLOW...

*Running felt like work, but I sure did enjoy it!

NOW:

*I am pretty sure that I will not die while competing in my next 1/2 :) and am a much more confident runner...

*I have completed a 1/2 marathon, as well as a sprint triathlon, since I first started training last winter...

*I now know that I can do it...

*I know and can feel that my body is much stronger and in much better shape these days...

*I have ran the entire time for every.single.run  this time around, including last Saturday's 12 miler...

*If I've planned on running a certain day, the only thing that will keep me from doing it is lightning-bring on the weather, it's great strength/stamina building...

*I never take my music with me, instead I tend to get in my "zone" and meditate while I run...

*I am still SLOW, but a slightly faster slow...

*On occasion, running does still feel like work, but it just keeps getting better! :)