Morning Tempo Run - 1. Me - 0.

Suck Less last night - 167 push ups, 255 sit ups, 110 tricep dips.
Curse that week off. It's like I've never moved my body ever before in my life.

Dude. That really, really sucked.

So, I have plans tonight, so I set out to get my 4 miles in early. I did my 400's on Saturday, and was going to be outside, so thought I'd switch things up and do my tempo run today, and intervals on Thursday.

You know how people say to listen to your body?

It's not really a joke.

I felt okay - sleepy, but I'm guessing that's because it was 5:45am, and 5:45am is a stupid time to be awake. But my legs, my breathing, I felt good. Until I paused at after my warm up mile to stretch.

Shooting pain, in my left shoulder blade. Ouch ouch ouch.

My back has been kind of wonky since I slept on the flight back from Florida, and it's just achy. But it's just my back, right, how would that stop you from running?

Well. Every time I landed in a certain way on my left foot? Shooting pain in my shoulder.

Every time I tried to breathe deep? Shooting pain in my shoulder.

Every time I wasn't holding my core and standing super straight? Shooting pain in my shoulder

I don't know if you've ever tried to run without breathing, but I don't recommend it. It pretty much sucks.

So, whatever. I should have stopped, but I'm a moron and finished my 4 miles.
1 - 13:01 (this included stopping for a minute to stretch and realize my back was revolting against me)
2 - 11:26
3 - 11:27
4 - 11:01

Tempo pace: 10:40. Fail.

The lesson here today....
When you can't breathe, you should probably not run

Oh well.

The bright side to this, was those last 3 miles (when I wasn't stopped dead in my tracks by random shoulder pain) felt effortless.... And it included walking and stopping. Good to know, I guess.

So, this is the thing about running.

I don't think it EVER gets easy.

I think, as a runner, your willingness to be uncomfortable and your pain threshold, they just increase. I know, because I'm practically an expert. I mean. I've been running for 6 months now.

Yes, in fact, I DID have a tough long run today. Why do you ask?

Bleh.

Giveaway next week, btw. I'm still fundraising for Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation. Link is on my sidebar. I'm less than $175 away from my goal of $2000!

Happy weekend.