A run is a run

My morning run was a great idea kick starter! I have a ton of random things I want to talk about, but today I am going to focus on just one: a run is a run. No matter whether you run a mile in 8 minutes, 16 minutes, or half an hour, guess what — IT IS STILL ONE MILE. And running even just one mile is a great accomplishment!

But remember, our bodies learn, adapt, and get stronger. You will soon find that a mile is too easy. So run farther. Increase in half mile, or a mile if you are up for the challenge, increments and you will be amazed at what you can do. Running is more mental than physical. Your mind will stop before your legs do.

Don’t let that happen.

Today I ran 5 miles in 45:50. That is the farthest I have ever ran. Like, ever. It was such an amazing feeling! I started the run with the hopes of logging 4 miles at a steady pace. I wasn’t looking to kill myself since it was my first day of training. Oh and by the way, I am training for a 7-mile Savage Race at the end of March (check it out here: http://www. savage race.com/) and then the RunDisney Tower of Terror 10 miler in the beginning of October (check out RunDisney here: http://www.rundisney.com/).

Why am I doing these races you might ask? For the hell of it really! I wanted to set a 2014 goal that I have never done before, so naturally a Disney Race was my first thought. As for the Savage Race, my big (I’m a sorority girl – crazy I know) asked if I would want to join her team. Um, hell yeah! I have done too many mud/obstacle races to count, but they have all been 5ks, or at most 4 miles. So this next race, which is less than two months away, will really challenge me, while also helping me prepare for my even bigger race in the fall.

I digress.

So this morning I was just hoping to run at a steady pace. I was feeling pretty good so I thought, ‘What the hell. Might as well push the limit!’ and oh man, did it feel fantastic. The idea of running, whether it be a mile, five, ten, or even more, can be daunting, but knowing how great you will feel afterwards is the best motivation to push you past your goal.

Speaking of goals, I encourage you to make one for yourself. Maybe it is to run a mile in a specific time frame. Awesome! Maybe you want to work up to running a 5k. I encourage you to sign up for one! Having a specific race day will motivate you to keep training. And train hard! A little sweat never hurt anybody. The tingling you may feel in your legs is good – it means you are pushing yourself to the next level. You won’t see any chances unless you give it everything you have, every single day you train. Train at your own pace, on your own time, but always give it your all.

Set specific days to run. My days are Tuesday and Thursday for 45 minutes. Saturday is miles based on my training regime. Write it down. Abide by it. Feel the difference. See the difference. Own the difference.

– Auburn