20 miles and I survived!

Today was my first 20 miler. I can't believe I just said that, but yes, as part of my marathon training I have to do an 18 and a 20 mile run before the big day. Last week I managed to get my 18 miles done despite some adventures. I almost ran straight into an armidillo (it was alive by the way), I probably missed it by 3 feet or so. It scared the bejesus out of me...I think my heart rate went up after that! Then a golf cart came up the path really fast and scared me again. Once I got to mile 4.5 I decided I wanted to see a close up of the side walk...in other words, I tripped and fell down...luckily I managed to land mostly on my arm and didn't hurt my knee. I did nick the Garmin and scratched up the new iPod, I am very thankful I had it in an indestructible case so it was spared. I was pretty bloody, but not hurt...I just kept running. Dropped off my running buddies at mile 8 and went out for another 10 with my coach, Meg. It was long, that is all I will say about that. After I ran, I had the most incredible sports massage I have ever had. All my aches and pains magically vanished...so did my hip pain from the half marathon the week before.

Moving on to the 20 miler...ran the first 8 with the girls and did the other 12 solo. Might I mention that the lows today were 65 and it had about a 90% humidity level. Not the optimal conditions for a long run of any length, especially not the grand daddy of all runs, not the 20 miler. Ugh! Ok, I got the iPod loaded with lots of new motivational podcasts, have lots of gels, salts and fluids. Ready to go! Well, just 4:30 hours later, I finished my 20 miles. I got to go up the Glen Oaks hill 3 times, the Virginia hill by the YMCA 2 times, the Virginia hill by my house 1 time and the most brutal hill was going up Stonebridge towards Millard Pond. Yikes! Hill training and long miles...good times. Well, I missed the cupcakes and I missed being with my running buddies. Long miles are very lonely by yourself...I was getting kind of sad and I had to remind myself of all the people that are fighting cancer and their battles that they go through to make myself cheer up. It wasn't nearly as awful as what they go through everyday...buck up and just run...or walk...which I did a lot of towards the end. The weather had teased of rain the whole time...the funny part was the minute I got in my car after my run, the sky opened up and it started pouring. I had to thank God in that moment for waiting on me to finish my run first ;)

Date: 10/23/2010 7:00 AM
Type: Run (Long run)
Distance: 20.19 miles
Time: 4 hr 30 min 00 secs
Average pace: 13:22 min/miles
Shoes: Mizuno Wave Inspire 6
Calories: 2769

A new PR ~ I earned that bad boy!

Roy and I thought it would be a novel idea to run a half marathon on 10.10.10...just because there will never be another 10.10.10 right. So after looking around, we settled on the inaugural Tyler Rose half marathon. I didn't really read too much about it, I looked at the course map, but I really couldn't grasp the area since I am not from there. I wondered why I couldn't find an elevation map for the event. I shrugged it off. It's just another half I said...I am sure it might have a few hills, much like any other race. This doesn't look all that bad, right?

This was undoubtedly the HARDEST race I have ever done. It was more than a few rolling hills, it was a hill at mile 1 until the end! Literally, once you think you hit a nice downhill, it is so steep you have to slow yourself down so you don't hurt yourself. I started out so good, I was pacing myself beautifully, I was under an 11 minute pace per mile up until about mile 5. It was just too hard to keep that pace going with the relentless hills. The hills that were more like a scene out of a San Francisco street. These bad boys were steep!!! I just had to keep on going. I saw the Kenyan run past me, even he looked like he may have been affected by them (hee hee). Come mile 11, I really just chucked my whole 2:30 goal and just walked. Mile 11 was just BRUTAL!!! I was so happy to see the finish line...and of course it was uphill. Lo and behold, that wasn't the finish, you had to take a left and then go straight and then take another right, then you got to see the finish line. It was a little bit of a tease for me! Finally finished...I ran a 2:38...it was an 11:56 pace according to my Garmin I ran 13.24...according to the chip time I was a 12:04 pace. Hmmmp. I will take what my Garmin says...because that is what I ran!

Now I have a new war wound, heck with black toenails, I have a lovely giant blood blister on my toe. I have to come to the realization that I am never getting a pedicure again...I think I would scare a nail tech! Surprisingly my legs don't hurt at all...my back, however, is KILLING me! I don't know why THAT hurts, but it does.

I was supposed to run an 18 miler on Sunday, but did this race instead. I thought I would feel guilty about not running the other 5 miles...I think that with all those hills, I am going to count that! I am so happy I have another race under my belt and I am in LOVE with my new medal and my shirt! They are my favorites out of any other race...so was it worth it? Yea!!! Would I do it again? Ask my next year...we will see.

10 miler

This day was a GREAT day! It started off with glorious temperatures in the 50's, no wind and no pains.

We had a mission moment today that was so inspiring. It was a lady named Robin and she is a runner. A teammate Melissa was her good friend and talked her into training for a half marathon with her, during her training she was having back pains and discovered that she has Leukemia. I can't remember all her specifics treatment details, but she was in the hospital for several months doing chemo and radiation. After all she endured, she happily announced to us that she was cured. I didn't mean for that to rhyme, but it did. I love to hear happy stories about how the treatment worked and they can resume their lives again. She is a mom to 2 children, like myself, so I could totally relate to her. I could have been where she was.

With all that fresh in my mind, I ran 6 miles with my interval gals and then came back to do 4 more by myself. Most Saturday runs, I have been running a little slower, but I ran MY race pace today...actually better than race pace. I ran the 10 miles in under 2 hours!!! I have NEVER done that before. I was on fire today, my legs were moving in such a great rhythm, it just clicked. I wasn't sure how I was going to run, my last long run was very hard because of my foot pain. I have been wearing a support on my foot all week and wore gels in my shoes. It must have done the trick. I am running Tyler Half Marathon this weekend and I only hope my run is as awesome as my training run. I am thinking another PR is in order!

Date: 10/02/2010 7:02 AM
Distance: 10.02 miles
Time: 1 hr 59 min 23 secs
Average pace: 11:55 min/miles
Calories: 1475