I finally did it

The 8-mile run that I've been putting off for ages? The one I was supposed to do two weeks ago, but skipped because of the weather? Then I was supposed to do it this weekend and skipped it because I needed to sleep Saturday morning in preparation for the DMB concert and then I skipped it Sunday because I was working on 5 hours of sleep.

Well that 8-miles is done. Finally.

After a bit of rain this morning, it shaped up to be a somewhat decent day. Kind of cloudy, so it didn't get unbearably hot and humid like I thought it was going to. So around 3 p.m., I decided I was going for a run after work.

When I started, I didn't really have a set distance in mind. I knew I was going to go 6 for sure and maybe tack on an extra mile or two depending on how I felt. And for a while there, I thought it was going to be 6 and done. I just wasn't feeling it. But eventually the yuckiness went away and I settled into a rhythm and ran. Up Main Street, past the marina, over the bridge and through a bit of downtown. An intersection around Mile 4 was a bit awkward, when my boss spotted me and beeped a few times. I managed a wave and a slight smile and kept going. Dreading what he was thinking when he saw me and what he'll say tomorrow. But my response? "Oh, I was at the halfway point of my 8-mile run when you saw me." That might feel good.

Other than the wind I was running into on the way back, the last 4 miles weren't too bad. Mile 8 was a bit difficult. I just wanted to be home. But seeing as how this was the first time I've ever ran farther than 7 miles, I was kind of expecting it.

The time it took me? One hour, 37 minutes. Not super fast, about a 12 minute mile. But I think I slowed down a bunch after Mile 5 or so. But still, I'm OK with running a 12 minute mile during the half marathon if it means I can run the E-N-T-I-R-E thing.

Now I can say I've conquered the 8-miler. Next up, 9 miles later this weekend.