NSV: Making it through a 12-mile run!

dettiot

So I'm training for a half-marathon, and my training plan has me complete long runs all the way up to 13 miles. Today, it was time to tackle twelve miles. I didn't feel very worried about it; my ten and eleven mile runs had both gone really well. But today . . . today was not a good run. I struggled for every single step. My legs felt like lead, my form seemed off, and I was going much slower than normal on a long run.

I definitely thought about giving up. I actually thought, "You know, if you only do eight miles, it won't be the end of the world." But something about giving up, about actually stopping before I reached twelve miles. So I powered through, doing my best to increase my speed a little but slowing down when I needed it. And in two hours and twenty-seven minutes, I ran twelve miles! :drinker:

You can bet I'm going to celebrate a little this achievement! And I think my reward will be my first frozen custard of the season from Rita's Ice--and go try on bikinis for the first time ever. :blushing:

It's thanks to the encouragement I get here at MFP that I've come so far, so thank you to everyone who's been cheering me on!

wendyk673

Way to go!!! I am trying to run, I am thrilled that right now I can make it 2 miles in 30 minutes, but I will get there!!!

evitaevita12

What a great NSV! Great job powering through thsi 12 miler!

ckopeny1

Great job!!!! Runs like that make you so much stronger. Keep it up!

carliekitty

Congrats!!!! Enjoy your well earned custard.

ActuarialChef

Nice job!! I am definitely on board with the Rita's custard -- even without a 12 mile run haha -- mmmm!

Can't wait until they open on Thursday (in my area).

lunglady

Way to power through. Congratulations! :flowerforyou:

BeautyFromWithin

Congrats! That is really inspiring!

I have only ran 5Ks (soon to be running number 5 and 6), but want to get myself up to running 10Ks and maybe even half marathons!

Your NSV is really motivating to get myself out there and try harder and stay determined!

heatherterp

way to go. I can only dream of running 12 miles.

smallerontopthanbottom

Good for you! Keep at it!

I have run a few half marathons as well and I find some days you just don't have a good run, no matter what the distance is. Don't get discouraged. Your next run will probably be better. If it's not and you still feel sluggish, it's ok to take an extra rest day.

Good luck on race day!

lauramblair

Way to go!!! Success is not breezing through a 12 mile run. Success is FIGHTING for every. single. step. Well done!

lilawolf

Workouts, and I think this applies to all of them that you push yourself in, come in 3 different flavors in my experience:

On fire! Everything is easier than it should be, you feel on top of the world, double checking weights/distances because you couldn't have done THAT so easily! BAM!

Workhorse: You are tired, you are sweating, you really want to curl up in a little ball and take a nap, but YOU don't give up. Not today, not ever. You push through it with a sense of exhausted accomplishment.

WTF: Your form is off, the weights won't move even though you've done it before, odd pains/numbness/whatever happens, you're coughing instead of breathing... You do what you can and then leave before you injure yourself and come back tomorrow.

We all hope for the first kind, but its the second kind that will make you an athlete. Saturday started as the first and ended as the second: first 5k under 30 minutes for me!

QS82

OP, seriously well done! I can only dream of running for 12 miles at the moment! You kept on and you did it, nice work. :flowerforyou:

Workouts, and I think this applies to all of them that you push yourself in, come in 3 different flavors in my experience:

On fire! Everything is easier than it should be, you feel on top of the world, double checking weights/distances because you couldn't have done THAT so easily! BAM!

Workhorse: You are tired, you are sweating, you really want to curl up in a little ball and take a nap, but YOU don't give up. Not today, not ever. You push through it with a sense of exhausted accomplishment.

WTF: Your form is off, the weights won't move even though you've done it before, odd pains/numbness/whatever happens, you're coughing instead of breathing... You do what you can and then leave before you injure yourself and come back tomorrow.

We all hope for the first kind, but its the second kind that will make you an athlete. Saturday started as the first and ended as the second: first 5k under 30 minutes for me!

Love this! My 10k today started as the second one and ended up as the first - it felt amazing! But mostly it's the second... and well done on your 5km in 30 minutes too. I'm still working on this one! :grumble:

DeeVanderbles

Congrats! I'm training for my first 10K and though I've run a 5k without walking, I had a decent amount of time between that and when I started training for the 10 k. I'm supposed to run 20 minutes (2 miles) straight tonight. The idea is daunting even though I've done it before.

silvergurl518

what a great success! the most i've ever run straight is 6 miles and it felt like death. i struggle with running every day, which is why i sign up for so many races! better to face it head on.