To Brookfield and Back.

Yesterday I tackled my 15 mile run. Once again, it's the furthest I've ever run and I was apprehensive about it from the beginning. Phil ran with me, and again I'm thankful for that. We talked the entire time, so the pace was nice and easy. We ran through the Menomonee Parkway, through Hansen Golf Course, and continued on the Oak Park trails. We got all the way to Brookfield, from 'Tosa! I always get nervous at the turnaround point in long runs because I feel so far away. Yesterday we ran 7.5 miles and then turned around. It's just a little daunting to have to run all the way back.

The run was actually more of an adventure. With all the storms and rain we've had the trails were basically flooded in some areas. We took turns running through the standing water first- I'm sure we looked ridiculous! The way out it was annoying because our feet got wet and we knew it wasn't going to get better until we got home. The way back it almost hurt to run through it. My legs were just going through the motions, so to change my form and sprint on my toes hurt my quads like crazy. On the flip side, it gave my legs a really nice break. My quads got stretched out, so I couldn't complain too much about it. The blisters that came because of the wetness of my shoes is a whole other story....

I really like to keep a consistent pace throughout my runs, especially when I have a turnaround point. The way out took us 1 hour, 12 minutes. The way back was 1 hour, 11 minutes. 9:31/miles pace!! WOOP WOOP! I was really excited to feel so strong on the way back, especially the last 20 minutes. Long legs Larry the hill was killer, but we made it through! When I was home, I thought my legs were going to fall off. Literally. Today, they're feeling a little tight but I'll stretch it out and be ok.

The best part of this post? Running 15 miles doesn't really seem like a big deal. It's just a part of my weekend now. it feels amazing to say that!

-Haylea