I keep forgetting something. I have a 15K race planned for this weekend.

In the summer, Lee brought up a great 15K race that she loves running called the Peachtree City Classic. She has run it a few years and says the course is really nice and it’s a well put together race.

It sounded perfect to me! Nice race and a perfect distance to fit into half marathon training. Just a few weeks out from my half, I knew having something fun thrown into the mix for a long run would help a lot. Plus, I love doing races with Lee! She even accompanied me on my very first race ever.

And seeing your shirt, Lee, reminds me that next year I am so game to do that Pub Crawl 5K with you.

Anyways…

I am really, really excited for the race – even if I haven’t exactly checked out information crazily about it yet. I just have one wee little problem.

I’m going to have to learn to race easy.

In both my 5K race and my 10K race, I wanted to see just what my body could do. So, I pushed myself. You may notice, I like pushing myself. I like competing against myself. I must remember, though, that I have a half marathon three weeks away.

Also, it just so happens that this week calls for a recovery week on my plan. The mileage for the race fits well enough (just a mile higher than a recovery long run), but I for sure know racing a race might not be the smartest idea. I want to save my A game for Savannah!

I get so caught up in the race environment and the adrenaline makes me push my pace. Believe me…it is too easy to run fast for a race. You may regret it halfway into it or later that day, but during it the speed feels so natural.

I’ve been doing good sticking to recovery runs for the week. On Tuesday, I didn’t want to risk getting sick running in the drizzle. I also wanted to keep my pace steady and run flat. So, I locked myself on the treadmill for six miles at a steady pace.

I plan on cranking out 4 miles on it today in the same fashion. And then I just have to save my energy on Saturday – focus on having fun and remember Savannah coming up just around the corner.

• Do you have an inner competitive nature? I am so competitive against myself on fitness things. I love the challenge!
• Thoughts/experiences to share on racing during training? Help me reign it in, friends! Or let me know if I don’t really have to! 

Alternate titles to this post:

• I Promise I’m Not Always This Stupid
• Mile Markers Stole My Thunder
• Seriously? Seriously?!?

So, Saturday means long run day for me. I have four weeks until my first half marathon (or official half marathon…but we’ll get to that in a minute). For my last four weeks, I had a game plan. It went something like this:

• Oct 8 – 12 mile run
• Oct 15 – 15K race with Lee (in a week?! that one snuck up on me!)
• Oct 22 – 12 miles again
• Oct 29 – 10 miles (still good distance, but not as high before race day)
• Nov 5 – Savannah RNR, baby!!!!

I wanted to fit in a couple of 12 miler runs to help myself feel better prepared, mentally and physically for my run.

In my mind, 12 made the perfect distance to feel more than ready for a half marathon distance, but to still make hitting 13.1 special.

I can’t tell you how many times the image of crossing the Savannah RNR finish line and achieving that goal has motivated me on my long runs. Keeping 13.1 special means a lot to me. I wanted to save it for race day.

Notice that? I wanted to save it for race day.

It may make me a whiny, bratty witch to complain about that…but it bothered me. Allow me to pitch a hissy fit for a few minutes? I promise to get over it by the end of this post.

For my run this morning, I didn’t want to worry about my pace in hitting a new PDR of 12 miles. I strapped on my Garmin but told myself to avoid looking at it at all costs. I did a very good job of that and solely used the mileage markers on the running path to guide my run.

When I thought I had reached 6 miles based on the markers, I checked my Garmin while grabbing my Gu from my Spibelt. It read 6.36 miles. Oh, great. There was nothing I could do about it, besides turn around and run back. I would just end up with about .7 miles extra on my run.

Then…I had to take a pit stop to the bathroom on the way back. The bathroom is off a side trail, that I thought would be relatively short. It was .2 miles each way. Can you do the math? 6.36 + 6.36 + .2 + .2 = right at 13.1 miles.

My special distance. The distance I wanted to hit crossing a finish line, with my husband watching me and then get the chance to celebrate the heck out of that day later with friends. I ended the run feeling strong, but kind of gipped.

I know full well that being able to run 13.1 miles is nothing to whine about. I will still feel so proud crossing the finish line. I feel in awe of my body today that it accomplished that distance.

Thanks for letting me gripe. First, I’m going to have Makenzie help me learn how to count. Then, I’m going to knock some sense into myself and get over it. Feel free to help me out.  

• Do you get emotionally attached to reaching goals at all?