Back on track Baby!

Last night's run was awesome. It feels so good to say that.

I got a late start as the Hubs was running late getting home from work, but I was determined to get a full three miles in. I headed to the canal trail, since it was overcast so I didn't think the lack of shade would be an issue, and I was looking for a nice easy run.

I started out too fast, and I could tell, but my legs felt like they wanted to run fast and I was on a deadline (the in-laws were waiting on me for dinner.) So I let it fly.

I didn't really start to feel it until somewhere after the start of mile two. I could feel it in my lungs mostly, and for the first time in a long time I started to get a side stitch. So I slowed it down and tried to ease into a comfortable pace.

I turned around at the next lock, which was a little further than a halfway point, and walked for about 30 seconds before cranking it back up again.

My legs felt easy and loose this whole time. Really it was my lungs holding me back, and with all the dogwood "snowflakes" in the air, it's no wonder. The air was full of them. It was really pretty actually, I wish I had gotten a few more pictures of them drifting around. The canal water was covered in large drifts of them too, which was neat looking.

I managed to not overheat myself on this run, which I'll take to mean I'm slowly getting used to running in the heat.

I'm pretty proud of those splits too. I feel like a few more weeks and I'll be back to where I was before the Half marathon. Which is awesome, because tomorrow is the first run with my training group!

I'm super nervous about tomorrow's run for a couple of reasons. Mainly because it's a group run. With other people. But also because it's the run that determines which pace group we're going to get placed in. I'm worried that I'll either push myself too fast and get myself into a pace group I can't keep up with, or I'll crash and burn and be one of the slowest people there.

Weird thing to worry about, right?

Same selfie spot as last time, Less of a hot mess!