Half-marathon training
Week sixteen, day four

Years ago, I had a performance review at work that was primarily positive, but at the end, one of the partners told me, “you’re always so sure of yourself, and that’s good…but sometimes you should consider that other people with different experiences might know something you don’t.” (Which I think was a nice way of saying that I was sometimes an a**hole.) Apparently, that’s a lesson on which I’m still working.

The first time we ran at the lake, we did four miles. I had never run more than 3.1 (5k) before that, and my regular runs were 2.5 miles. I remember Ryan telling me that by halfway through the season, four miles would be nothing to me. I gave her a noncommittal “mmm,” while thinking, “yeah, right!”

Earlier this week my friend David teased me for referring to the Jingle Bell Run as “just a 5k.” A year ago, a 5k was my goal distance! Today, we only had six miles on the schedule and I considered doing a couple of extra miles since I don’t need to taper yet. (I didn’t – but I considered it.) On the way home, I was thinking that four to six miles is my favorite distance to run. It takes me 1.5 to 2 miles just to loosen up and get into it, and I can do up to six easily without feeling worn out all day. And then I remembered that conversation with Ryan and how I didn’t believe her that four would be easy one day.

Yeah, I’m a little slow sometimes. Thanks, Ryan – you were right! (And, um, I’m probably still kind of an a**hole sometimes.)