3% isn't too bad, right?

"Ehh, it was nothing." - These are the words my dad uttered as he chatted about our 8-mile run with some family friends that stopped by for a visit last night.

While it was "nothing" to Dad, this 8 mile run had me gasping for breath at mile 6. While this is the first long run that I've had to stop and walk during, I managed to walk for only 3% of it (we calculated this percentage in an attempt to distract me from the, seemingly impossible at the time, task at hand).

But on a positive note, I did see lots of ducks and ducklings, doggies, and gorgeous homes. I think the key to runnng such far distances is to keep yourself distracted with scenery and chit chat, which is why it's so great to run in a nice area and with a partner. And, I also learned yesterday that hiding a water bottle somewhere along the route helps a great deal. I was striving to finish mile 5 so that we could get to our much needed water and Gatorade hidden behind a bush.

All in all, I felt like crap all evening. But hey, I feel great this morning! And that's what this is all about for me...finishing something difficult that does not have the best immediate effect on my body, but gives me a sense of pride and accomplishment as well as a new idea of what my body can handle.