The Connection Runners

Ten reasons my Texas Ten Miller was Terrible

Like I mentioned on Monday, we are out of town. The Army flew us to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio so that my husband could have a heart procedure. I appreciate every ones thoughts and prayers. The procedure went great and we head home to Florida today.

Sundays 10 miler couldn't have come at a worse time. Here are ten reasons why:

1. We spent the day before furiously packing and preparing for a last minute trip cross country. That means we got to bed even later than normal.

2. The Army booked us for a 5:45am flight. That meant we only got in about 4 hours of sleep.

3. Flying from Florida to Texas, with a stop in Atlanta... with a 2 year old is exhausting.

4. My feet ALWAYS swell ridiculously when I fly even though I avoid salt and chug the water.

5. After our flight, getting our rental car, and checking into the hotel, we drove 2.5 hours from San Antonio to Austin to visit my family.

6. We ate lunch... ..and an hour and a half later headed out for our run.

7. It was 4:20 in the afternoon.

8. It was 95 degrees.

9. My husband was having a heart procedure the next day.

10. Oh and did I mention the heat?!?!

So, while I had a million (or 10) reasons NOT to run the 10 miles, we went ahead and set out.

Mile 1: Only a 9 minute mile, but that was WAY too fast for the circumstances. At 1/2 a mile I was gasping. "What the heck is going on?"

Mile 2: I look over and my husband is struggling too. Seriously? Struggling at 2 miles??? Insane.

Mile 3: Already time to hydrate. I honestly thought my husband was going to pass out (and I started feeling guilty for having him join me the day before a HEART procedure). Start off on a new trail.

Mile 3.5: Really keeping an eye on my Garmin.

Mile 3.63: What?!?! How is that possible? I feel like we've gone 2 miles since the last time I checked. Continue running.

Mile 3.63: I stop. "I can't do this!"
My husband says, "What is the problem?"
Me: "I feel like I'm running in place. We haven't made it anywhere. Am I running in place?"
Him: "This offshoot is 2 miles and we are at the end"
Me: "Dumb garmin!!!""

So make that mile 5: Not sure why, but the Garmin stopped tracking distance. It was seriously discouraging. I was struggling with the heat and then I felt like I wasn't going anywhere. How did I become so reliant on technology? I let it completely throw off my mojo.

Mile 6: Hydrate again and throw that piece of junk garmin in the car.

Mile 7: Contemplate quitting.

Mile 8: Remember the whole blogging world knows I have a 10 miler today so I had better run it.

Mile 9: Screw the whole blogging world, I don't see anyone else out here running in this heat.

Mile 10: Suck it up and finish. Just finish and then you can brag about running under the worst conditions ever.

Aftermath:

We finished. It wasn't pretty. In fact, it was pretty darn ugly. But we did it. And then promptly hit up the store for some chocolate milk.

What was YOUR worst run ever?
How do you overcome mental road blocks?