Sweaty Sunday - 12 miles

Today I ran 12 miles through Hyde Park, Oakley, Madisonville, Mariemont, and O’Bryonsville. It was a hilly tour!


I started and ended in the Kroger parking lot.
Yes, shoppers were staring as I jumped up and down.
This is only the second time this year I’ve run an established, metered route. Usually, I just run for time, giving myself 10 minutes per mile on short runs and 11 minutes per mile on long runs. (My goal for the marathon is 11 minute miles.) Today, I came out at 10:30 per mile. Pretty good!

I do not run a steady pace, and that’s ok with me. I slow down on the hills and speed up on the declines. When a particularly good song pops up on my ipod’s shuffle, my stride lengthens and my tempo increases. Sometimes, I just relax and take it easy for a bit. The variation in pace keeps me motivated.

I have three goals for the marathon:
1. Finish
2. Run 11 minute miles
3. Feel good when I’m done

I’m told #3 will be the most difficult, but I'll try my best to give you a post-26.2-mile jump!


Photos by Beefy Muchacho