Dead F*cking Last (DFL)

So, yesterday I met with my running group - we meet on Saturdays at 7am.  It is about 35, cold to me. My coach has on sort sleeves and shorts...what the ?

We run a 1 mile warm up...do some different stretches and then we are to run 4 miles at about 85-90% of our goal 5k pace.  I haven't done this in weeks.  I am so f*cking out of running shape.  The week before I got hurt in the marathon, I ran a 5k with a PR pace of 8:01.  I am having a struggle to keep it under 10:00.  Needless to say, I am DFL in the group.  I am *trying* not to think about what the coaches may or may not be thinking....

So, what did I learn?  Somebody has to be DFL.  perhaps it is high time I take my turn at it and realize it isn't the end of the world.  At least I am running, right?  I fully believe my time will come back and as it is coming along I need to remember to be grateful and to fully respect whoever takes my place in that position, if I even notice who that is.  I could not even tell you who it has been in the past.  I learned that I am really going to have to put in some quality time getting back...and we have a vacation coming up.  Running on vacation can be a sore spot with my husband....it cuts into my drinking time in the evening, it makes me get out of bed early and it lets me run in new, interesting places - which he tends to see as probably dangerous.  We will work it out so that I do not have to do all of it on a treadmill - outside *should* be awesome,  little warm and a little/ a lot humid.

My running program called for 45 minutes of easy running today - It felt pretty good.  I took it slow, avg pace of 10:32.  There is some heel pain but not much.  It was a little windy but I am certainly not complaining - and it was about 50 outside.  I listened to a new (to me) podcast called "Life is a Marathon - this one was on morning routines.  Most of it I do already but he talked about a "vision board" that he reviews each morning - it contains pictures of goals and things he wants to obtain in the future.  I think I will make one too.

In about an hour I am meeting with my new Tri coach.  I am pretty excited about that, although I feel pretty fat in this Tri suit...it is what it is and that is what he wants me to swim in today.  I am setting my intention that this will be a very positive experience and that I will learn great things from him.