i forgot to post about my 9 mile run...and guess what? it's been long enough that i can happily tell you i ran 10 miles on Saturday :). it was a beautiful day...perfect temperature and only a few clouds...it may have even spit on me at one point, i can't really remember. normally i do my long run on sundays, but the weather was too good to pass up. good thing, too...because shortly after returning from our worship gathering yesterday, it started to sleet...and eventually turned to snow. that would have been one miserable 10 miles. i'm so glad God knew i'd need the sunshine on saturday and i'm so glad i actually had a free saturday to run! i finished in 2:17.29 which is a pretty good pace. i stopped twice to stretch my back because the repeated pounding of my legs onto the pavement made me feel like i was pushing my hips up into my back. the only probably with stopping when you're running 10 miles, is that when you start running again, your legs feel like lead. it probably wouldn't be so bad if i walked while i stretched, but the thing about this goal is that i don't want to walk even a step of those 13.1 miles. so i stop, stop my watch, stretch, then start running again. it may not be the most conventional way to run a long distance, but it's my distance to run and i'm the boss of me :) so, for now, that's how i'll do it if i decide i need to stop. the encouraging thing about my 10 miles, besides the fact that i actually ran all 10 miles, is that i maintained a pace of almost 30 seconds faster than when i ran my 9 mile race. helped me figure out some things about my body and how it relates to running. when i ran the 9, i was extremely tired before i even started because i hadn't had much sleep the 2 days prior. it also rained for the last probably 5 miles which just made me feel cold. and it was dark before i finished. i don't run in the dark. i don't like it. not at all. so, i figured out that i definitely need to be well-rested before attempting a run of any distance, but especially those longer ones...otherwise, i'm toast. :) on the agenda this week: a 3 mile, a couple of 4 milers, and 11 miles on sunday. sweet.

p.s. for those wondering...i still don't like running.