My Unplanned 10K Run!

   "I ran an easy six miles today."
   I cannot tell you how many times I've read this at the beginning of some runner's blog or Facebook post. I know how far six miles is and it always blows me away that someone could describe it as "easy" and seem rather blasé about it at the same time.
   Well...not me!
   I RAN AN EFFING 10 KILOMETERS TODAY!!!!
   I have had 10K on my radar for about a whole year now. I was working up to it last year about this time when the PF (god, I'm tired of talking about it) hit. I had gotten myself up to 9K when the PF brought a screeching halt to things and it's taken me this long to make it back.


Footbridge across the Thames.

   Today was supposed to be a 9K run, after my 8K run last weekend. Next weekend would have been the momentous 10Ker. A couple of kilometers into the run today I was feeling pretty good. It was actually one of the best days for running we've had in these parts for a long time, due to the kind of winter we (and most of North America) have been having. I was feeling so good it occurred to me that if I finished the 9K and thought I could tack one more K then why not?


Obstacle course.

   This plan solidified itself around the 7K mark. At this point I felt 10K was quite do-able. It was not on the schedule but, really, with the weather the way it's been lately, it was hard to say when I might be able to get in the next 10K run so why not get it in the books today? Which is what I did.
   It was also around the 7K mark that I started to feel it---the left knee began to stiffen up and my left calf also began to complain a touch. It felt as though I was limping as I ran but when I looked down at my legs, they seemed to be running pretty normally. At any rate, there was not nearly enough discomfort to stop.
   The other cool part about the run today was that I didn't take a walking break. I took a handful of breaks last week during my 8K run to take pics along the way. I took pics today but basically did them on the run (we'll see how they turn out!)
   I started the run today from the most westerly end of Springbank Park and simply ran through the park until I made it down beside the river. Then along the river until I'd put in 4.5K. At this point, I just turned around and headed back. The closer I got to the end of the run, the more I figured I'd be able to add the extra K, to  make a full 10K. I took note of my position when I had only half a K left to go for 9 so that when I finished 9 I could run back to that point and then back again to make up the extra kilometer. It worked out well! The legs were more tired than usual but I guess this was to be expected. The real test will be tomorrow and stepping out of bed...


Post-run tired smile.

   So it's nice to know I can run 10K. Taking part in a 10K race this summer was one of my biggest goals for the year and I knew that I wanted to have run it a few times in training before an actual race. My plan now is to try and run it about once a week between now and then and see how it goes. Looking forward to it! One of the humbling things, though, was knowing that, to take part in an actual marathon, I'd have to do what I did today three more times in a row, plus a little. Intimidating, for sure! The good thing is that I don't have a marathon anywhere on the horizon, any time soon!