My first 10 miles!

Woke up at 6 am, and went down to run. I only planned to run 11 laps around the condo. My record before this run, 2 days ago, was 10 laps which is about 4.2 miles. A week before, my record was 5 laps.

Based on previous records using RunKeeper, I calculated 1 lap is about .422 miles which now seems to me that this is not accurate because the miles per lap decreases as my laps progress.

When I started running today, I felt a slight discomfort in my stomach; an about to cramp sensation. I just focussed on my posture and the discomfort seemed to get better as the lap progressed.

The first few laps were always the hardest. I like to think that my body is adjusting to the stress which it is not accustomed to yet and that the first 5 laps were warm ups to "get the flow".

I could not have felt better after my 10 lap (broke my PR here). The small aches from previous laps did not seem to bother me at all and I was not catching my breath. The aches did eventually return. So I thought, wouldn't it be good to break a friend's record of 14km today. I took out my phone and calculated the number of additional laps that I'd have to run to reach 14km. 
It turned out to be 22 laps with the assumption of .4 miles per lap and 1.6km per mile.

I would not deny that during the laps, the thought of giving up was seductive. My feet were aching, abdominal pain was still an issue ( though minor) and my thighs were bruised. Despite that, I kept going for the next lap.

At the 18th lap, I came to realise that 25 laps would mean 10 miles. That's just 3 laps shy of the current 22 lap goal!

Here are my reasons of doing 10 miles:
1. It's a double digit mile
2. I've already ran this far
3. I've already ran for so long ( over an hour and still counting )
4. I FREAKING THOUGHT 10 MILES WAS 21KM!

5. I have no intentions of breaking my friends record (8.75 miles) only to have it broken the next day.

I finished the 25 lap and was about to stop. Took out my phone and it was 9.2 miles; 2 laps away from 10 miles.

I persisted another 2 laps.

So today is my first time doing 10 miles, 27 laps, and I've never ran this distance before. I never expected I would be able to run north of 2 hours. I broke my friend's record (in one week) and now it is his turn to break mine.

Today is definitely a breakthrough. 

I hope to do this again next week. Persisting another 3.2 miles to complete 13.1miles/21km.

I'm sitting at a coffee shop having breakfast whilst writing this. 3 glasses of cold tea, 1 cup of coffee and a bowl of noodles in soup.

Now I feel like a water tank.