The Click

Last night on a training run, 'it' came back.  I can't say I know exactly what 'it' is, but I was in the zone, I did my thing and I kicked ass!
I was complaining to my Coach shortly before we started about being a 'late bloomer' kinda thing.  I absolutely must warm up with a walk anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 miles.  Then I can go for a run.  She pointed out that it's simple, long distances work for me.  Me, really?  huh.  But it is true.  My frustration with the shorter runs, is that by the time I get fully warmed up, I'm done.  It frustrates me, because every day I see people who step on the trail and wham...they run.  They don't seem to need the warm up like I do and they just...GO.  How do they DO that?? I know I know...everyone is different. 

Anywho, last night before we even started, I did a one mile walk, to warm up.  My calves were burning, but I kept on.  I started at the front of the group and I went.  I figured I had had enough of a warm up to just go, so I did.  My calves were still burning.  Not nearly as crippling as usual, but it was hard.  I took my walk breaks when needed, but with every millisecond someone passing me, I felt the need for speed.  It was, after all a speed work night, so I just went. 
Our total time was for 45 minutes.  10 minute warm up, 22.5 minute run,turn around. 
I broke the rules a bit...my goal was to get in at least 3 miles in that time.  At 1.5 miles I turned around.  What happened next I don't even know how, or why...but I ran almost all the way back.  I did take a few very very short ( less than 30 seconds) walk breaks.  I'd say in the mile and a half back, I likely walked less than two minutes of it. 
Where the hell did that come from?!
Never before had I even run one mile straight.  Never before had I gone that far, for that long without walking, panting, internally whining and feeling sorry for myself.  It was unbelievable.  Just at the point where I was ready to start my usual aforementioned crap, I saw the glorious headlights of Howe Avenue where I knew my turnoff was.  I ran. 

Before last night, there was so much doubt swirling in my head about what I was doing that it made me dizzy.  I feared constantly that I had taken too much time off around the holidays that I'd never ever get it back.  I had, of course, NO faith in what I have done in the past, and what I could do again. 
Part of me realizes that this too is new to me.  Of course I had no faith.  I'd never taken that much time off and then had to get 'it' back.  So there's no real way I would have known.  The experiences that I face everyday is what make me stronger.  Well, that...and a helluva a lot of work.