"Run Easy is an Oxymoron"

That's what she typed in her last email. She doesn't even read Runner's World, but the fact that she hi-jacked one of their advertisements/quotes made me laugh (no, running isn't easy :)

Week 3 of training is in the histroy books for her and she once again hit another milestone by completing her newest long run of 4 miles. That fear of trying something new and sucking at it or not being able to finish struck again. I told her the same thing this week that I had last week. What were you going to do, stand out there until someone gave you a ride? No, of course not. One way or another you were going to complete the run. She chose to finish the last mile with a negative split.

Her confidence has been boosted now as she realizes she has the endurance to complete here leg of the relay. The question now is how hungry is she and what kind of time goal will she set?

She still doesn't feel like a runner, but she exhibits many of the characteristics already. She refers to this as "training" not practice. She never goes for a "jog" as she knows it is a run. She is now fast enough that she can vary her pace with fast days and slow days. She even refers to her easy days as "only 2 miles" when she once struggled to WALK 1.5.

There is of course the downside of running. The cold weather and increase in training volume I believe are causing some stiffness. She has also metioned an ache in her knee. We have decided she should keep training if the pain recedes, but if it should bother her on future runs to take some additional rest days. She does a warm-up and cool-down as instructed with some easy stretching, but nothing is fool-proof.

This week she has a long run of 5 miles on tap for Saturday or Sunday (she hasn't decided yet). She is a tad bit nervous as the weeks continue to build her long runs in her training program and looking ahead makes her feel discouraged. I think deep down though she is pumped about adding many more milestone to her running resume. That little voice in her head telling her "You can do this!" is getting louder with every mile she runs.