On Wednesday, I went to the gym for a thirty-minute run (Day 2, Week 9 of C25K if anyone is interested). It was fine and I actually did complete the run. But for some reason--maybe I'd had a big lunch, or was wearing pants that were too tight, or something--I started to get a stitch about four minutes in. usually I can make them go away if I regulate my breathing. But this time, it just stayed, not a bad stitch or unbearable, but definitely uncomfortable.
About eight minutes in, once I realized that it wasn't going away, I told myself that I would stop after ten minutes, because I didn't want to run uncomfortably. I'll just include a (practically verbatim) transcript of the conversation I had with myself for the rest of the run:
8 mins: OK, just stop at 10. Then you've run ten minutes, almost a mile, you can go home and drink water and lie down.
9 mins: Almost there. Almost to 10. But...you've only run three quarters of a mile. At least run a mile. It'll be just to 12 or 13 or so.
13 mins: OK, yay, mile run. Let's stop now. But the guy next to me has been running like a maniac for who knows how long. And that girl on the other side is still going. I can't just stop after one mile, they're going to think I'm lame. And I mean, I'm still running, even with the stitch. Maybe just go to 15 minutes.
15 mins: Well, now the run is half over. It's stupid to stop unless I really feel like I need to. Maybe run to 20 minutes. 20 minutes sounds more respectable than 15 minutes.
20 mins: Yes! The girl! She left! I ran longer than her! I can stop now! But maniac guy is still going strong and...wait, he just stepped the speed up! OK, I have to go at least a little more.
25 mins: There are only 5 mins left. You might as well finish the thirty minutes.
28 mins: I don't think I can do this. I think I need to stop. But only 2 minutes left! Come on. It's just 2 minutes.
29 mins: How has it only been one minute since I looked down at my feet and then back up at the timer? I think that time is slowing.
29 mins, 30 secs: HOW do I still have 30 seconds left?
29 mins, 52 secs: come ON, come ON, come ON, COME ON!
30 mins: YES! YES! I DID IT! I RAN THIRTY MINUTES!
Sometimes people tell me that they are bored when they run. I, on the other hand, am fully equipped to have a very detailed, argumentative internal dialogue. So yeah, boredom isn't so much the problem.
Last thirty minute run is today. Let's see if I can figure out any more persuasive things to tell myself when I have only fifteen seconds left.
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