Curious Runner Question

I know, I've gotten behind on my blog posts again. I'll catch up this week, but for now I wanna just tell you a little about a running experience I've been having. I'm curious as to if other runners have ever felt this, if it's normal. I believe I've experienced it during my last 3-4 races, if I'm honest. My running and pace have been improving and I keep chalking the 'feeling' up to "I'm just getting better", sort of thing.

The first time I felt it was during the Reading 1/2 marathon. It was as if I knew I was going to hit my goal time and this course of excitement raced through my veins. I didn't reach the goal. I think I got excited to early. I did still set a new Personal Record, so I was happy. I'd inched a little closer.

I felt it again during the Mildenhall 1/2, the rush or excitement and as if my legs had a mind of their own. Again, I missed the target, yet still set a new PR...gained another inch forward.

This past Sunday I run the Edinburgh 1/2 marathon - a great and beautiful run. I loved almost every moment of it. The feeling came again, the rush of excitement and I continued to tell myself not to get excited to early. To save that energy for when I may need it a little more. For the first 3 miles I was ahead of my pace by about 2 minutes. I was feeling alive and ready to cross that finish line with that 2:30 tucked neatly under my belt.

At mile 4 I got behind pace a little due to a toilet stop, but I was still confident I could gain the time back and pushed myself a little further and harder than I normally do. About mile 7-8 I started to feel as if my legs were going to run off and leave my torso behind! This is the feeling that trips me out! The feeling I wanna know, do you other runners experience this?! Am I just finding my groove? What?

I don't know, but I get to a certain point and I feel as if my legs simply know what to do and off they go. My friend Jessica that I run with a lot has to rein me in from time to time as I take off and then get winded - however that's usually at the start. It's in the middle where my legs just seem to say, "We got this". I don't know what an out of body experience is like but if I did I would say this is similar. I feel like I have to tell my legs, "No, no, not yet wait until you are closer to the finish". Afraid if I don't that I'll exhaust myself before I'm close enough to finish strong, but maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I need to just let my legs go...

Around mile 8, we ran into another running friend of ours and encouraged her for a bit but I could not stay with her because my legs were at that point where no matter how reined in I tried to be it just wasn't working. I had to go ahead. I felt bad for leaving her alone, but I really didn't know what else to do at that point.

I missed the target by 9 minutes, but once again gained another inch and a new PR. I also remember thinking, "What 1/2 am I doing next?" The reason I was thinking it was because I want to feel that feeling again. To just let my legs go and see what happens. I'm starting to think, "Man, if I just keep this up...eventually I'll be chasing 2:15" and the crazy thing is I think I can do it. My short little legs have been impressing me time and time again. Don't get me wrong, there is always pain associated with it, but the reward and the feeling of "I CAN" is so worth it.

So my question is this, do you ever feel like your legs are just gonna take off and leave you? Is this a feeling a runner gets the better they become? Does it stay forever or disappear? Is it what makes running so addictive? I know we all love the bling, but come on this feeling...please tell me I'm not the only one who experiences this. It's weird & cool all at the same time. Now if I could just channel the excitement with it...I think between the two I'd be hitting those goals verses inching forward one race at a time.

I'll tell you about the latest races and post some photos this week, until then I hope you have beautiful weather and get out there and enjoy it!