18 Miles

Today was long run day. 18 miles on the schedule. 18 miles done. 15 miles in the rain. 3 miles on the treadmill.

Things I learned today during the 3 hours I spent slogging through the rain and cursing the weather.

1) Running for multiple months on my nice, cushy treadmill has led to me being a wimp. Running on concrete is hard.

2) A marathon is a very, very long ways. It doesn't really sink in until I realize how sore I am after 18 and a marathon is another 8 more miles- ahhhhhhhhhhh. Any idea I had about finishing around four hours- um no don't think so. I will be happy to finish in under 5 hours.

3) New marathon goals- Don't die, don't poop yourself, don't puke. Good to have goals- aim high.

4) Running in the rain kinda sucks and makes me look like hell- more so than usual after a long run.

5) My new hydration pack is awesome

What happens when you come home and change real fast to jump on the treadmill to finish your run- stuff everywhere

Frozen pond- apparently where all the birds in the area hang out.

Lonely road running- the best part of the run was on a deserted road I found.  Running  on the highway because all the trails are packed with snow when it is foggy makes me nervous. 

Random cemetery that is located between a Fed-ex distribution center and a waste-water treatment facility.   
Though this run was hard it went well. I held a good pace the whole way even with the rolling hills in the area. Things I need to focus on:
1) Figuring out fueling- I could tell that I was just out of energy towards the end- need more Gu or something. I ate two and by mile 14 had visions of dancing tacos in my head. Weird but true.
2) I need to reintroduce myself to the world of outside running slowly. My legs have been babied on the treadmill- time to toughen them up.
3) One day I would like to run a long run and still be able to function the rest of the day. Dream big!

How much fuel do you take in during long runs?
Are you able to function like a normal human being after long runs

Comments

  1. Lisa JMarch 10, 2013 at 7:09 PM

    have the same vest, LOVE IT! When I did my longer runs I would pack fig newton or lara bar in one of the pockets. Another good one is salted nuts for obvious reasons. Both were tremendous in curbing hunger and easy on stomach

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMarch 11, 2013 at 8:21 AM

    Congratulations on a fantastic long run - 18 miles is spectacular, so don't beat yourself up at all!! Those photos look very cold and bleak, I wouldn't have lasted so long!!

    I used to sleep ALL afternooon after my marathon training long runs. I think it's quite normal. I cannot remember what I used to fuel with though - it was before the days of Gu. I think I had an orange protein drink that I used to sip throughout, it did me proud actually.

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownMarch 11, 2013 at 10:07 AM

    18 miles takes alot out of you, it's ok to be lazy after running that far. I usually eat a GU every 5-6 miles but will up one if I feel the need for it but I'm starving 20 minutes after I finish.

    I plan around the weather as much as I can, but somedays you just have to get out there. Give yourself credit for not wussing out!

    ReplyDelete
  4. XaarlinMarch 11, 2013 at 8:03 PM

    I cant imagine running 18 miles right now. Heck, 14 takes everything out of me. Congrats to getting it done in the rain! I think you should try taking salt in addition to your gu- i usually take a "salt Stix" everytime I take a gu and it seems to help with the post run funkiness.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jogging on CoffeeMarch 12, 2013 at 7:18 AM

    Nice! 18 miles is incredible, I have yet to run anything more than a half-marathon. I normally like to plan something for after my long run cause having a time limit helps me get my butt in gear. But then there are days where all I want to do after a long run is nap!

    ReplyDelete

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