Just Fine is Good Enough

Most of the time when we talk about our runs, we frame them in one of two ways:
1) "That was awesome!" Your banner days, your PRs, your nailed key workouts, your "endorphins are PEDs!" runs.

Or

2) "That was awful!" Your DNFs, your personal worsts, your injury-inducing and/or pants-shitting runs.
But in spite of the polar nature of our running tales, sometimes runs are just fine. And that's okay too.

Tonight I headed to the track for my first session of mile repeats this season. I build this workout up in my head a lot, and in the past, it's either been an incredible confidence boost or an incredible ego deflator. I was very worn out from work by the time I left my office, and my warm up miles felt stiff and awkward. I mentally prepared myself for a sufferfest - and the sob story that would come with it.

McMillan told me to aim for 6:34-6:50 per repeat, but the spotlights were off tonight, which made checking my pace mid-repeat impossible without lots of button-pushing. I ran the first repeat by feel and finished in 6:45.

I ran the second repeat in 6:28.

I ran the third repeat in 6:39.

I ran the last repeat in 6:37.

Did I OMG KILL IT?! No. I should have been more consistent. Did I totally blow it because I suck at everything? No. I ran all four miles right in range*. Do I sometimes have workouts where I feel either awesome or awful? Yep, I've cried actual tears over good running stuff and bad running stuff. Is it okay that sometimes my workouts fall somewhere in the middle, and are just fine? You bet.

After the track, I came home, ate two pieces of pizza, and drank a beer. Just fine is pretty good sometimes.


*Edited: Err, except for the one that wasn't...