Fall Running

It is nearly fall now, and the temperatures are coming down nicely, and running is even better than ever. I LOVE fall running!

This summer was my first summer, out of nearly 10 years of running, when I ran consistently and long during the heat. I can't say that I enjoyed it very much, that is for sure. But, I made the best of it and kept telling myself that if I can run well in the heat then I can run even better when it cools off. I figured it would make me stronger and then I would feel that much better in the cooler temps.

I was RIGHT! Today, two other girls and I ran a 21 mile (hilly) run. Its not like you can find many places in or around Atlanta where it isn't hilly, so there isn't much choice when running long runs. When we started out it was 6:30 am and just a tiny bit chilly - maybe 55 or slightly higher. It was perfect. The sun stayed covered up the whole time and we often had a nice breeze blowing on us keeping us cool.

It doesn't happen often to me, but there is an incredible exhilaration that happens when you run a long run and finish it at a faster pace than when you began. To me that is such a high - a high that sometimes can last for days. It overrides the soreness and any aches and pains caused by the long distance. We did that today! In fact, our average was 1 minute per mile faster than all of our previous long runs.

A minute per mile may not seem like much, but when you are running 21 miles that is 21 minutes total faster! That is an accomplishment! That can be the difference between a 4.5 hour marathon and a 5 hour, or a 3.5 hour marathon and a 4 hour. Every minute counts!

I am now off to relax and enjoy my runners high from my awesome morning! Happy Running!