TNT BK Practice, March 28, 2009: 19 Miles

I'm writing this post super late because I am still embarrassed about this run. I was doing well for 18 miles of it, over three bridges, through Chinatown and downtown Brooklyn and around Prospect Park. Then I got to the 19th mile, faced down the North Hill, and...hyperventilated.

Yes, that's right, I'm scared of the North Hill. The North Hill intimidates me. When faced with the North Hill at the 19th mile of a 19-mile run, I very nearly chose to sit on a curb until the rest of my group went home, then skulk on home myself. I did not do this. Instead, I tried to give myself a pep talk, which failed miserably, and then my calf started to hurt, and then all I could think about was my calf. And then I realized I couldn't breathe. And then all I could think about was not being able to breathe. The worst.

I ended up calling Coach Lisa out of desperation, and she came and rescued me on her bicycle and followed me as I chugged up the stupid hill. It turns out that I was one of three TNT BK'ers who hyperventilated last Saturday. This made it feel less weird, but no less awkward. Can I run this marathon? I hate when I doubt myself.