9 lessons

This past weekend my long run was 9 miles.  It was tough.  I wanted to give up around mile 2.  I tried to convince myself to go home and try again tomorrow.  Thankfully I didn't listen to that part of my brain.  Another part chimed in and reminded me that you can't have a "do over" in a race.  You can't go home and try again tomorrow.  So I stuck with it.  Not that it was easy, but I did it. I finished my 9 miles and was really proud of myself.  I came up with some lessons learned from the painful run.

1. Always wear Body Glide.   I forgot and I thought my thighs were going to start a fire.  Three days later and I still have a rash.
2. Just because Starburst Gel things look like GU Chomps, doesn't mean they work like GU Chomps.  In my frustration, I stopped at a gas station to get water and a snack.  Starburst gel things seemed like a good idea.  They were not.
3. If you forget lesson number 2, be sure you know where all the bathrooms along your route are located.  I had some serious stomach issues around mile six.  
4. Running in the sunshine is awesome. It was a rare sunny Seattle day.  
5. Mental toughness is as important as physical toughness. Sometimes more important.
6. I am tougher than I think I am. 
7. Beer tastes better after a long run. 
8. It is acceptable to wear compression gear out to dinner. I did my best to hide it.
9. Valuable lessons can be learned from less than stellar training sessions.  I know I will have a race where I'm not feeling it.  I will want to give up.  When that happens, I hope I will remember this painful 9 mile run.  I hope I will remind myself that I can push through the pain and fight to finish.