Last run in Myrtle Beach

Friday, March 30, 2012 · Mike Davis

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Today is our final day here in Myrtle Beach, as we will be on the road early tomorrow. Yesterday I ran mile intervals with a goal of running 3 miles at 7:32 pace per mile. Kathy and I ran a warm up mile together and then I was off to the races. I was unsure of how difficult running a 7:32 mile would be as I haven’t really run that fast in some time and Myrtle Beach hasn’t be real kind to me as well. The surface of the sidewalks is cement and gravel and man it has been beating up my body. Kathy has noticed the same as well.

The first interval seemed to be going pretty well and I felt like I didn’t have to go all out to maintain my required pace so I was encouraged early on. When I looked at my Garmin, I was pleasantly surprised to see I had already gone three quarters of a mile. I coasted to the finish of my first interval and looked at my Garmin to see that I ran a 7:22 mile. Okay, should be an easier run than I anticipated. Mile 2 was feeling pretty good as well, but half way through it I had to turn around and head back, bad news! Not that I felt it on my first interval, but apparently I had a pretty good tail wind that helped me. As I ran the second half of interval 2, I now felt like I was fighting the wind and my confidence waned a bit. I pushed through interval 2 and actually bested interval 1 by a second at 7:21. Yay me, but now I was spent and had one interval left after any 800 recovery. I walked a bit of the recovery and then jogged for a majority of it. When my watch said it was time to go, I knew I would have to fight through this one. I kept my eyes off my Garmin intentionally trying not to think about anything but keeping my pace and moving those shoes. I finally looked at my Garmin and wasn’t even a half way through the interval yet! Mental time!!

I had little left in me, but I also knew that I was capable of running another half mile if I just kept my feet moving. There have been a number of times in my life that it came down to keeping those feet moving and not giving in to the muscle between my ears. It can be so easy and I can always convince myself that I have nothing left, but I have learned that I always have something left. So the feet came up and went down, the pace stayed steady and I kept chugging. I looked down and was at .91, I was on fumes, but the end was a few quick strides away. I got it done in 7 minutes 33 seconds! Mission accomplished.

I had one more cool down mile so I turned into an access path to the beach, took off my shoes and started jogging down the beach. After a few minutes I saw this hot chick running ahead of me so I picked it up a little to get a better look and I quickly realized it was my wife! Eventually I caught up with her and we enjoyed a nice cool down mile together. When we finished I got out of everything but my shorts and enjoyed a plunge into the water. Nothing better than that and I would love to be able to do that after every run.

As I said, tomorrow is travel day, and we will be on the road until Saturday. My goal is to run 18 on Sunday if I’ve recovered from the drive. My next long run will be my decision run as I continue to struggle at night with my hips. I have an appointment on Thursday with my doctor and I may end up getting shots. Things don’t look good right now, but I haven’t come to a decision yet.

Be well!

mike