Delimma...

Hmmm... Last night I ran 6 miles. Ok, I definitely would not call that particularly attempt "running". More like a fast hobble.

The middle 4 miles were supposed to be run at about my race pace I have set for this half marathon. Well, let's say last night didn't go so well. Which part of my brain says is ok - not every run is going to go great. But the problem is - it went really badly!

How does one get home after a 6 mile run and feel like a lead weight, fat, gross and uncoordinated?? Aren't I supposed to feel GOOD after a run - especially SIX MILES!! ('cuz folks, that's a lot for me!)

So, remember that fancy, dancy expensive Garmin I bought? Well it has this great little feature that allows you to have it alarm, vibrate or both. I had it set up to do both. Notice the "HAD"...

So I had programmed my little workout in the watch for last night. Cool, eh? I thought so.
First mile - no pace (warm up)
miles 2-5 - pace between 9:04 and 9:10
Last mile - no pace (cool down)

So I beebopped down the street to my first mile. I was feeling tight, sluggish. I didn't worry -I just needed to warm up! Then the watch beeped and vibrated to let me know I was "on" for the next 4 miles. I picked up the speed but it was like I was running through molasses. I'd glance at the watch every once in a while.
9:15
9:22
9:20
9:25

Not my target by far. But I figured it was better to go the whole distance slow than to stop it altogether. I was just having a serious "off" night!

I'm concentrating on trying to get my pace up. My knees are starting to get sore (not hurt, mind you) and the outsides of my shins are burning. (don't know what that is! not shin splints!) I feel my watch vibrate (can't hear it due to the ipod...) I figure I finished mile 2.

10 seconds later it vibrates again. I glance down to see the face lite up. I see my pace has dropped to 9:39. But in my oxygen deprived state I can't determine why it's vibrating. I figure sometimes it beeps/ vibrates as I'm approaching a marker. Like it'll beep every 100 feet the last 500 feet of the mile. I just figured that's what it was doing.

I keep running. 10 seconds later it's vibrating again.

I keep running. 10 seconds later it's vibrating again.

...repeat for a mile and a half!

I'm getting P-I-S-T, pissed! I know I'm jogging slow, I'm tired, I'm cranky. I'm mad that this run is turning into such a ball-o-crap! I just want to get home. So why in the HELL is my watch "yelling" at me!!!!

I'm so mad at the watch I'm really thinking of taking it off an chucking it in the lake. Really.

Then I remembered how much I paid for it...

I finally look down and really focus on what it's trying to tell me.

That bastard!! It's flashing a box in the middle that says:

RUN FASTER!

Well screw you, Garmin! I'm trying my damnedest. I don't need you to throw it back in my face!!

Yes folks, the WATCH was telling me to run faster. Apparently it has some time cushion built in based on the pace you want to run. It will tell you to either "slow down" or "run faster"!! Let's say I usually don't see the "slow down" screen often...

Well, now that I see what it's saying I'm SUPER PIST! I finally stop my run, right there in the middle of the road, and start going through the menus to turn the frickin' vibration off. I've had it. AND I still have 3 miles left!

The rest of the run I was MORE cranky and MORE sluggish. I swear I just gained 40 pounds in the middle of the run. But I did finish. I walked into the house all cranky.

I thought running six miles was supposed to make you feel good!!!!