Backwards

That's how I feel with these races I seem to be getting myself into. I keep pinching myself to make sure it's really me doing this, and yep, it is. Actually the pinching isn't necessary today because I have enough aches and pains to prove it's really me.

I do feel like I'm doing things a bit backwards, though. I really, really wanted to run my first 5k last spring at the Keizer Iris Festival, but it just didn't work out. After that fell through I slacked off on my running, just focusing more on weight training and trying like heck not to put on poundage. That being quite unsuccessful, I really wasn't physically ready to be running yet when I found my running partner. I knew it was a good match, though, so I threw myself back into it, no doubt faster than I should have. In hindsight I'm lucky I didn't have a massive coronary on that first 3 mile run up and over the top of a very steep hill!

When I finally did run my first 5k, I hadn't ever actually run 3 miles without stopping. I'd done interval work up to 4 or 5 miles at that point, I think, but no straight 3 milers. The whole way into the race I really was feeling like I was way out of my league and totally unprepared. I did manage to meet my goal, which was to run the entire thing, no walking, but I didn't have a sense of being well trained.

So now I'm staring down the barrel of a 10k (ack!) wondering, once again, how the heck this happened! I feel completely unprepared. I haven't been training for a 10k ~ I was thinking a few more 5k's and I'd feel like a runner. I'm still hobbling from my first ever 6 mile run this week and wondering if I'll even be recovered enough by Sunday to run the race. I really feel way over my head.

I guess there's no point to this post, except to say that I don't feel ready. I'm mentally wading through the muck trying to get to the toughness.