Shattering Goals and Eating Peeps

A while ago, I was talking to a friend about running goals. I told him that I would really just like to be able to run five miles on a whim - run five miles everyday if I wanted to. I never thought I'd be able to do this, and thought that my brother being able to do it was just him having my dad's running genes and body type. I do NOT have a runner's body type. I probably never will. I could drop another thirty pounds and still not look like a stereotypical runner. But you know what I've learned? THAT DOESN'T MATTER. It doesn't matter what your body type is, because you can still do it. Because you know what I realized the other day? I can run five miles on a whim. I can run MORE than five miles on a whim. And I MISSED my goal. I didn't even REALIZE that I had surpassed that goal, because I thought it was so impossible that I never even hung onto the thought. But now I can do it.

Y'know what else I can do? I can run ten miles. Yes, today I realized that I had not only met a goal in life, but I had SHATTERED it by moving through it and doubling it. Surpassing it. KILLING it.

I thought the ten miles would be brutal. I got to the gym and as I was putting on my shoes I realized that I a) forgot my towel and b) forgot my iPod. The towel sucked because our water heater at home is broken, so I couldn't take a hot shower at the gym like I had planned. The lack of iPod sucked because... ten miles on a treadmill without music? Really? Is that... possible? I mean, my brother does it, but he's like super zen runner guy. I seriously considered just saying "screw it." But I realized that I was being a wuss, and forced myself out there. I definitely had high and low moments of the run, but none of them were THAT low. Before this, my longest run was 8 miles, so I thought adding two would be DOABLE but I would feel like this:


But instead, I felt like this:


Ok, maybe I wasn't as fast as Prefontaine, but I felt like I was flying. I intentionally kept my pace slower than usual (about a 12 minute pace) so I could keep my heart rate lower. The past few months I've noticed my heart rate a little too eager to jump off the charts (I'm talking like 195), and I didn't want to get too tired too quickly or have my heart explode, so I kept my pace down and my heart rate down around 165. Even though some of the miles felt a little slow, it definitely paid off in the end. Mostly, I was in the zone. I was loving most of it except for the boredom that is inevitable if you spend too long on a hamster wheel.

Ten miles in 2:12. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.

Also, I can't stop eating Peeps. They're like crack to me. Those and Skittles. I eat at least one bag of Skittles a week.


Look at that. It's like an ocean of sugary gooey goodness and I want to bite ALL of their heads off.

What's the run you're proudest of to date? This one might be mine.

Is there a candy that you just can't get enough of? SKITTLES.

Are you as obsessed with Easter candy as I am? I had a Cadbury Egg the other day, and thought I might die of happiness. Between that and the Peeps, it's just amazing.