Am I Marathon-Training?

Elizabeth's original goal, once she started running with me more frequently, was to run 10 miles. Then, she learned her brother had once run a half, so then her goal became 13.1. But she actually wants to run longer than her brother, so she's revised the goal to 15...because 14 isn't good enough.

She'd like to run fifteen miles...just because. (I'm still trying to convince her to run a race with me.) I tried to explain to her that running such a long distance without a reason is crazy.

But then I went out and ran twenty miles today and I haven't really decided if I have a reason, so who am I to talk?

This week, after suffering some ankle, shin, and quad cramps last week, I only did two weekday runs and I kept them shorter. The weather has been gorgeous - cold and dry (when it's not storming...I mean, maybe not dry, but not humid!) - so my paces have been picking up, but this week felt like a rest week. I knew I had a possible 20-miler on my schedule, but I literally played it by ear until I woke up Sunday morning and realized I was going to really do it.

Spoiler alert: I did 20. Also, this is my highest-mileage January ever.

This was new for me. For all my previous very-long-runs, I mentally prepared all week. Training builds me up to the distance so that I'm flirting with the idea of 20 for ages before it happens. Not this time; this time, I barely thought about my weekend run until Montana made it to town Saturday evening and sealed the deal.

I had to actually breakout cold-weather gear for this run: gloves, capris, long sleeves to layer, and a hat. For the first ten miles, all that was absolutely perfect. I ditched my top layer after that point and was able to take off my gloves and hat by mile 15. I was sure it was in the 70s by the end, but it was only 52! Funny how our bodies warm up and play tricks on us.

Mile 6.5 - chilly and loving it!

Anyway, the run went well. Montana and I kept a steady pace (we aimed for 12:15 but both felt comfortable in the 11s) for the first half and only took brief walk breaks to fuel. I actually didn't eat or drink anything in the first eight miles. I tried UCAN for the first time this morning and it worked very well; I had steady energy the entire run and never felt like my hunger got out of control or distracting.

Okay, this stuff is THICK and not the tastiest, but it's not bad. And most importantly, it seems to do what it says: provides sustained energy without any crashes. I didn't crave a Coke at the end of this run because I didn't need the sugar!

I also fueled with Glukos blocks and gels this time around because Gu has been giving me heartburn. I liked the results!

I didn't use "auto-pause" this time, so bathroom and fuel breaks show up (mile 6 specifically). I like the honesty.

At mile 10, Montana traded places with Elizabeth. She and I continued on. At mile 11 or so, Kristin came out to greet us, but despite being dressed to run, she bowed out. Too cold!

Montana and I at mile 10. Does anyone look good in a beanie?!

We had to pause at mile 15 for a bathroom break; I didn't stop my GPS so that mile's split is an outlier, but at least it's honest. At this point, I was developing a pain in my left arch/outer foot. I decided to press on because we'd already turned around and there was nowhere to go but back to the car anyway.

Another extended stop at mile 15; you can see I was struggling at the end. It was all about my foot - my energy felt fine. PS: even without auto-pause turned on, this was my fastest 20 yet.

Around 16 we began taking short walk breaks every .75 or so. My foot was killing me and my hips weren't happy either. Maybe I jumped up to 20 too quickly, but now I'm tapering - or something - so I have time to let it all heal.

Success!

Of course, no long run is complete without a fantastic breakfast. Montana and I went to Skillets afterward; I had chocolate milk, coffee, a GF chocolate-chip and blueberry waffle, cheesy eggs, and bacon.

Now that I've done another 20 (which, if I'm being honest, I had my doubts that I would actually do), I can make a better decision about A1A; the choice won't be made for me by lack of training, anyway. So now I'm tapering for a marathon, or I'm continuing training for a half. For me, that boils down to six-of-one, half-dozen-of-the-other.

My mind is there for a marathon, and my body feels like it can do it, although there was pain today, but I'm not sure if my heart is there yet. Part of me is scared. I don't want a repeat of BDR. Part of me just realizes that marathons hurt and I'm not sure how badly I want to go through that again so soon.

There's no rush to decide, but now that this long run is done, I have a feeling I'll be thinking it over. A lot.

Any tips for treating soft tissue pain on the outside of my foot? It feels bruised and hurts to walk.
Do you need to mentally prep for long runs?
When you're not training for something, do you still run long-long (not just long)?

ABK

20 Miles Done...Bring on the Pie!

As you guys know, I was unluckily rained out of this run Sunday, but I was fortunate that we don't have work the Wednesday before Thanksgiving because it meant I could make it up without much delay.

Much, much better weather. But check out that wind.

It was really hard to wake up this morning. The temperatures dipped, so I slept until 4:30, which ended up being a mistake. Even once I was up, it took forever to get moving. I sat on the floor in our dressing area (where the coffee pot is since the kitchen is still a hole) and had coffee and my poptart, and then just sat there for awhile. The past week must have really caught up with me.

Finally, I got out the door. I had a Gu in the car (PB, with caffeine); my plan was to start running around 5:30 and I didn't start until six.

Most of the dips in pace were due to pausing at crosswalks. I decided not to stop my GPS when waiting to cross.

I had a good route in mind, and the first loop was perfect. I kept an extremely steady pace and stopped around mile 5.7 to have my first Gu (Salted Chocolate, caffeinated) and water and to take a bathroom break. As the sun began to rise, it was pretty cloudy at first, so things were still cool and comfortable.

6 miles in and feeling fine!

As usual, once I started running, things felt good. I listened to Heather Dubrow's podcast for the first loop and it was such a perfect distraction. I tried listening to "Death, Sex & Money" but found it boring. After the first loop, I switched to music.

Guilty-pleasure-TV meets podcasts. This was like listening to friends gossip and made running really easy.

At the end of the first loop (which was 9 miles), I veered into the neighborhood I've been running recently to add two miles. When I exited the neighborhood and stopped at my car briefly (Gu #3, Chocolate Outrage, caffeinated), I realized how much warmer it was. The wind had picked up a bit, too. I grabbed my sunglasses and headed back out for the second loop.

Mile 10.5 or so. Halfway there!

From this point on - mile 11.5 or so - the headwind was tough. I could feel it affecting my asthma, and breathing was a pain. But at least the wind meant the day still felt cool despite the sun! I was starting to feel some little pains, but I knew I was nearly there and just had to dig deep.

At mile 15, I had my final turn-around. The wind disappeared. Suddenly, there was no shelter from the sun. The last four miles were brutal. I stopped at the park (mile 16.5, Gu #4 - Lemonade. No caffeine and definitely not a flavor I'll have again. I was hoping the citrus taste would get rid of the cloying sweetness of the other Gu, gum, and Lifesavers. Nope) and had some water. A lot of water.

I should've started the run earlier and avoided this mess.

I actually didn't regret chugging water at that point. I walked a little and then just decided to get it done and ran most of the rest of the way. By this time, my left knee really hurt (definitely IT band pain) but the rest of me felt good, just tired. And my mouth felt disgusting. It was pretty distracting!

I stopped my GPS at 20 miles and walked the last quarter mile back to the car.

Then I chugged a bottle of water the size of my head.

I walked a little during mile 16 after I stopped for a drink, and then at mile 18.5 for a little bit. I'd like to avoid that on race day, though.

I'm really pleased with my pace on this run. I didn't pause my GPS at any stoplights, and while moving my pace was always in the 12:20 range (although it dipped into the low 12s at some points, which wasn't smart planning on my part). I paused it during my bathroom break at 5.7 and at the car pitstop at mile 11, but all the times I had to stop at crosswalks and didn't pause seemed to even out those discrepancies.

I think I meant this more as a "20 miles!" sign and less to mean peace haha.

I am definitely ready to eat my weight in pie and enjoy taper from this point out. I'll be taking it easier this coming Sunday, and then I have one more long run (8 or 12 miles probably) before race day!

Can anyone recommend a not-too-sweet gum with long-lasting flavor?
Do you watch Real Housewives? I unashamedly watch OC, BH, and NY.

ABK

...And Then I Ran 20 Miles

At 3:50am, I hit snooze on my alarm but I didn't really need to. I was ready to be up. I had been dreaming about running all night. I think writing my last post and talking to running friends really got into my subconscious and produced amazing, uplifting, confidence-building dreams.

Matt drank the last of the coffee and because we went out for Halloween, I didn't think to buy more until it was too late. Oh well, I thought. My GIANT BOX of Caramel Macchiato Gu will have to do. And it did. I had a Gu thirty minutes before starting and ate a poptart in the car on the way to meet Adria.

Archie is disappointed that he can't partake in this glorious coffee substitute.

Adria is running the Space Coast, too, so she met me for the full 20. She is usually a speed demon, easily breaking two hours in a half, so while she did push me a bit for our first ten miles, it wasn't too much. She kept me accountable for how I usually slack on my paces. I could talk easily the entire run, so I knew the faster pace was acceptable, even if my legs felt a little uncomfortable.

I think the fast pace of this part of the run explains my struggle toward the end (besides, you know, it being 20 miles). But front-loading the run also meant my overall pace was faster!

The first ten miles flew by. We had amazing weather; it was 59 when we began at 4:30. The route was familiar and quiet. It felt...easy. My hips hurt a little around mile seven but I pushed through, knowing I'd have some recovery time at mile 10.

Halfway through we stopped back at our cars for a food/drink/bathroom break. (I had a second CM Gu. I really didn't feel I needed anything before mile 10 even though originally I'd planned to stop at 7 to eat. The two Gus were enough to keep me going the entire 20!) We also picked up Tracey, who is training for a half and wanted to run the last ten with us.

We started back out (it had warmed up a bit to a lovely 62 degrees). My legs were tired, but I thought back on my 10-mile race and how tired my legs were then, and I knew I could push through it. Adria ended up pushing her pace and Tracey and I stuck together; we all paused at the park for a quick drink around mile 17. 

There goes Adria, leaving us in her dust!

I slowed down significantly around mile 18, but when I had just one mile to go, I picked it up again. 

I told Tracey how amazed I felt...That I, someone who isn't a natural runner, could complete these 20 miles. That I now knew, barring any injuries or race-day issues, I would complete my marathon. 

It's been a pipe dream for so long, but it's never been something I was confident I could complete.

But now I am.

The run itself took us about 3:40, but including the stops at the cars and park, we were out for just about four hours. Will I be adjusting my goals for the race accordingly? Probably not. It's my first marathon, after all, and I'd like to keep my goals cautious.

I seriously don't think I could have finished this without them!

I'm having some pain in the tops of my feet and my lower back, so I know I need to double up on my core work this month and work on strengthening my ankles, too. I'm hoping this is normal soreness and not injury-pain, but either way I plan to rest for the next couple days, so I'm sure it will resolve itself.

The bottom line here is that I RAN 20 MILES AND IT WASN'T HORRIBLE AND I EVEN ENJOYED IT AND OMG I THINK I'LL ACTUALLY SUCCEED AND RUN MY MARATHON ON NOVEMBER 30!!!!

My reward: a homemade GF cupcake and playing blog catch-up.

Thank you all for your encouragement...your words were in my head during my run and you all helped me accomplish something truly amazing today. The success of this run has really boosted my confidence and was the perfect start to November!

How did you feel the first time you accomplished a goal you never thought you could?

ABK