Long Distance Training Run- 15.17 miles

This morning was my 15 mile scheduled training run. It's been awhile since I've gone over 13.1 miles, so I was a little nervous.

It worked out pretty well that my best friends training schedule had her going out for a 9 mile run today. We decided to run the 9 together and then I would go out for an additional 6 after. 

I am so grateful to have had a partner for those first 9 miles. It made the time go by faster and I feel like it's easier mentally to run with someone. Which made it difficult to leave her after our run and continue on for 6 more.

And the additional 6 included hills. Lots of hills. Painful hills. Hot, slow and tiring hills. 

I did that on purpose. I know that with my next race in a week including lots of hills that I would need to continue to train with them. Unfortunately, I didn't think about the weather, or think about how tired my legs and mind would already be before attempting to do more. 

I did well though. I walked more than I would have liked during those last 6 miles, but I'm not going to focus on that. I'm going to focus on the miles getting done. 

Doing hills on top of an already long distance is not something that I plan on doing again anytime soon. It was good to push myself and I was really proud after I finished. But I'm exhausted, and so glad that I'll only be doing a couple short 1-2 mile hill runs this week while tapering for the RAD 10 miler. 

I'm going to be honest.. It was 100% my choice to sign up for this race coming up next week, but I am getting really nervous about my ability to finish.. I checked last years finishing times and the time I guessed I would finish in showed two people coming in after that time. 

This week has been filled with race registrations as well. October 1st was the day registrations opened or the LA Marathon and this morning registration opened for the Mammoth Half. I am signed up and ready to go (well more so for the half than the full). 

I'm beginning to doubt myself and the distances I plan to run. I've done it before, but it's been awhile, so I just need to believe in myself (and train) and the rest will fall into place. 

I am just so beyond glad that I am out of my running rut and in a better mental place to work on and achieve these goals.