Racing toward the finish line

So race day is quickly approaching (September 19th!) and I am not quite there yet. I've been successfully running two miles for a week now but had hit a wall. I knew it had to be entirely mental because if I can run 2 miles, surely I can run 2.25 right? I was getting more than a little frustrated at my lack of improvement and motivation to push through the wall.

Until Thursday,that is, when my running buddy told me she'd finally run the full 3 miles. Holy motivation, Batman! That was all I needed to hear to get my rear in gear. On Saturday, I decided a change of scenery would do me good (I usually run in our neighborhood) so I went down to Forest Park to run on the trail. Let me tell you, there's nothing like mile markers and the promise of some good ole Tennessee football to get you going!

I managed to eke out 2.5 miles and was pleased as punch with myself at the end. I walked about 1/8 of a mile at the 1.75 mark to catch my breath. Today I went back and finally did the entire three mile stretch! I walked 1/8 of a mile twice (again at 1.75 and later at 2.25) but still managed to finish in a respectable 29 minutes. My first mile was 8.5 minutes which is pretty darn good for a non-runner!

Now that I've worked through my mental block, my biggest challenge is my breathing. I end up walking not because I can't run but because I can't breath. I need to spend more time concentrating on regulating my breathing and less time bobbing my head to Sara's Kickass Running Playlist on my i-pod. I wonder what all the mommies on the trail would think if they knew I was singing Jay-Z and Juvenile in my head as I wave and smile at their cute little kids?