8.1 MILES!!!

Today was just a normal training day for our 1/2 marathon. However, last Saturday, we were supposed to run for 8 miles. Instead we ran a Halloween 5K run. It was a great run, and I wouldn't change what we did for anything. However, we had this 8 miles looming over our heads.

As Greg and I were flying down to Keesler AFB, we talked about what we were each going to do for training. Greg had planned on doing his 8 mile run today, to get it out of the way. See, on Saturday we are supposed to run 6 miles, then 9 miles the next week. It just made sense to get our 8 miles out of the way.

However, I have my Air Force Physical Fitness Test this weekend. I need to run 1.5 miles for time. I'm doing so much better than I've done in 15+ years. I'm excited to see what I can do. So, would running for 8 miles before this test be in best interest?

I originally thought that long distances now wouldn't be good for me. Then, Greg planted the 8 mile seed in my brain. I realized that my faster times have been coming after 50 minute runs. Those are 5 mile runs. 8 miles would not hurt me. So, I was in! It was going to be perfect, because I wasn't schedule to fly until tonight, so I didn't have to go to work until 3pm. I could sleep in and still run!

We did sleep in and had a great breakfast of Special K and bananas. I didn't have my morning coffee, but Coke Zero filled the caffeine gap for me. I hit the road at 10:30am. It was perfect! The temperatures were in the low 60s (better than our MN highs in the 40s). All the Active Duty Air Force PT was done by now. We had the road to ourselves.

The first mile was tough, but it always is. However, I was running in my favorite place, the Keesler AFB flight line path! My squadron was out flying touch and goes during this time, so it was even more motivating.

Greg had mapped out a 8 mile run, that was 4 miles out and back. It was perfect for me! I got to see the flight line twice!! I got to my 4 mile point and was so excited to turn back around. It was so much easier to head home than out. I really tried to keep a slower pace on the way out. I didn't want to use up all of my energy in the first 1/2. It was also very hard not to look at my times. I was in it for distance, not time.

At 6.2 miles, I realized I was now in no man's land. I'd never run more than 6.2 miles in my life! At 6.6 miles, I knew I was at the half way point of my half marathon. I felt good! I can do this!

At 7 miles, I saw my boss. As we stood there running in place, he told me that he'd been trying to get a hold of me. We had storm tasking for tomorrow, so my night flight was cancelled. Did I want to fly a tropical storm invest tomorrow? Of course!

The last mile was great! I was on the home stretch! And, I was flying a storm the next day! I love my job so much, and still get a thrill during every tropical storm/hurricane flight. What a great day!

Greg finished 7 minutes behind me. We were slow, but 8 miles are now in the history books. However, after further review, we see we did 8.1 miles. Every tenth of a mile counts! Can we really do this 1/2 marathon thing? YES!!!