The Perfect Run, a Fabled Creature

Although I was super busy last week, I was able to get in two of the most solid runs I have had in months.  What a confidence booster for the the upcoming half and boy did I need that.
I don't know why, but I've had a rough last month and a half of training.  My legs have consistently been tired, heavy and usually in immense physical pain. My runs have been disheartening. I haven't had that rush and endorphin high from a good, solid run in a long, long, long (ass) time.  Wednesday broke that terrible streak.  I had the PERFECT run last Wednesday.  YUP, you read that right, the perfect run!
What is the perfect run, you ask?  You know, the run where everything just clicks.  
Your legs feel stronger than strong.
Your lungs don't struggle and you're not gasping for air.  Your breathing is controlled and steady.
You can push yourself hard and you don't feel like you want to keel over and die on the spot from the physical pain your body is experiencing.
You finish the mileage feeling like a million bucks in a time that simply wows you.
You realize just how much your training has paid off, which makes all of the pain and terrible runs from the past melt away (okay in reality, no permanent meltage, but definitely temporary meltage)
You remember why you started running in the first place.
This was my perfect run.

Is this fast in the world of running?  No, absolutely not.  Is this fast in Fishy's world of running?  ABSOLUTELY.  I was completely stoked with this run.  I finished the last mile in an 8:15 pace (!!!!!!).  Total average pace was 9:27 per mile. I was trucking, and I was loving it.  Every minute of this run was enjoyable.  I kid you not, every minute.  I ran the steepest hills I could find and then came back and ran them again. Everything just clicked and it couldn't be better timing in my training.  I needed this run more than I can even begin to describe in words.  The perfect run, my fronds, is why I run. So although the perfect run has been a fabled creature to me in the last few months, it has decided to show it's beautiful face at just the right time, and for that I am so very, very thankful to the running gods (I'm sure all of my running friends are grateful for this as well, because my permanent bitching/whining about every run has come to a screeching halt).
  
As I've stated before, I'm not really running for speed in this half marathon.  I'm running to finish, to cross that line saying I did it, I completed a 13.1 mile race and I have a smile and this pretty medal to prove it to the world.  The next half (guess I'm going to make this a regular thing...), I will hunker down and get more serious about my speed and my time, but for the first one, I want to set realistic goals.  For a non-runner (as in I had never run more than 4 miles when I started training), my goal for this half was to finish without walking. I have no doubt in my mind that that goal is completely attainable.  If I can finish between 2:15 and 2:30, I'd be completely stoked. 


Saturday's run will have to be in my next post.  It was a solid run and one I'm also very proud of.  More on that later.