New Personal Best

I'm no cheetah.

I'm no gazelle.

But...

I did run a personal best today on my four-mile day.

True, I'd still be left in the dust if I was running with my lightning speed cousins like Willy or Ryan R., but at a 7:57 mile pace for a four mile run, I'd be in the top 5% for women in most races (except for Boston, of course). Sure, most races are longer than four, but I know I can push it for longer. I know I have it in me. I was pretty stoked.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, running is so mind over matter. Yesterday at work, my friend Richard and I were talking about running. He was telling me that he ran a 7:40 on his morning route, which is huge for him. I told him that I never run sub-8:00 miles on my jogs, that I pretty consistently run between 8:20 - 8:35 on any run 4-5 mile jog. My 10k pace has been closer to 8:45 and my only half marathon was at 8:58 pace.

Up until the past month, Richard's average 3-mile time had been 8:30 -8:45. Then one day, he decided to push it, and he ran sub 8:00. Just like that. Just because he decided to. And now he runs sub-8:00 every day.

So I decided yesterday that today I could do it to. I just decided. Just like that. I'm going to run faster. My time will have a 7 in front of it, not an 8. I told Ryan my goal last night, just for extra encouragement and accountability.

And just because I decided to - because I told myself I could, I did. I ran a 7:57 for four miles, my personal best, and I felt really great. My heart rate even stayed under 160 the whole time.

Amazing (for me). Mind over matter. I can do hard things. I can run faster than my mind usually wants me to, faster than I've let myself believe. My lungs and heart are strong. I'm stoked to keep pushing it and see what I can really do.