Dear Boogieman.....I win

When I got home from work today, I had a sit and relaxed after a super busy day. I checked my email and got something regarding a half marathon coming up in mid February. I am very familiar with the race as I used to work in the area where it takes place and had even considered running it a couple of years ago. Then the boogieman spoke up and told me as I looked at the pictures from last years race, "you're too slow to run with them, you won't do well, you know it. Probably not even worth trying, you know you can't do it." I listened as I always do, without hesitation, without saying anything. I looked at the pictures again and at my waiting running shoes and decided to silence the boogieman. But he wouldn't shut up, again he told me, "why do you bother with this pretending, you'll never amount to anything, you're just a fat slob and you should just give up cause there is no use." I got up and started to tie my laces. I smiled because as I continued to get ready, the protest got louder but I just didn't pay attention like I usually do. As I grabbed my keys and gloves, the boogieman was shouting at me. I left him screaming at me, back in my apartment.
I decided on the same route as yesterday, although I had every intention of taking it nice and easy. It is starting to get dark earlier and it was chilly enough for gloves and a light jacket, the temp said 10C but it felt about 4 degrees cooler. I started off up the first long hill, easy, confident and just happy to be running. I made all the lights today, funny when that happens, it is like you have just the right speed to coast on through. At the turn I smiled to myself to see if I could negative split this run. I turned at 25 minutes, so anything under 50 would be good enough. So I made the effort and took it serious. Around 8km, I was really starting to feel it, just a I came to the top of the last long hill, where I can move faster as it is a gradual downhill from there. At the end, I tapped out for 48:46 ~ 10km, 4:52 km pace. Not bad considering each km got faster through the last 6. When I got back to my apartment, the boogieman was gone. Guess I win, this time.