Happy Monday! I hope you had a fantastic weekend. My weekend involved less running than last weekend and more eating! Here is the evidence (thanks for our Saturday breakfast, Chef Shack):
Yesterday, I ran my 16-mile long run solo. Since I normally run with a partner, just getting out the door was a little challenging. Before (and during) the run, I felt like I had the option to cut down my mileage to a shorter run (I just rolled my eyes at myself).
Running with a partner helps keep me accountable, helps me stay motivated, and makes me push myself harder than I would running alone. Yesterday, I had to get through it on my own. Ultimately, I didn’t end up cutting the run short – I knew I had to push through it because I have to be prepared for my race in October. On race day, you never know how things will go. You might start the race with a partner and then need to part ways. You have to be prepared for anything!
Like I mentioned last week, if you plan your route ahead of time, you will usually end up with a much nicer route than one you might pick if you have already left the house and are pressed to come up with something last-minute. Is that what I did? Of course not. I ran the silliest route. First I ran the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes, and then added on bits and pieces to splice together the mileage I needed. Not only was it hard to run alone when I’m used to running with others, but I also listened to Lady Gaga almost the entire way. For 12 miles, it made me pumped. Towards the end, it was a little crazy-making, so I turned it off and listened to Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. Dramatic? 
The best part of my run was when I saw a deer run across the road to Lake Calhoun. Initially, I thought it was a greyhound (I have a distance prescription, but I never run in my glasses) that had jumped out of a guys quad cab pickup! A few seconds later, I saw a mama and two baby deer, taking a dip in the lake. It was pretty precious (I was a little worried about them getting back across the street). I shared the story on Twitter and a friend was amused by the double meaning of “distance prescription.”
Despite it being hard to motivate myself through my run yesterday, I felt pretty good. I’m battling some pretty crazy blisters from the Newton’s. I’m still holding out and bought some thicker socks, on the recommendation of one of the lovely sales people at TC Running Company (I love that place).
Lacey, my running partner, decided to throw in the towel and bought some new shoes to replace her Newton’s. A friend told me about this article from this April’s Runner’s World, which talks about the benefits of Newton’s. For me, the jury is out. I’ll need to make a final decision very soon, though, because of training for Chicago Marathon (it’s in less than two months).
Questions:
If you run with a running partner normally, do you find it hard to run alone? How do you get through it?
What is your favorite music to run to?
Any Newton runners out there and if so, what’s your advice about acclimating to them?
