Normally I log my daily miles here for the week, but honestly, the week is a blur after today.
Today I ran my first 20 miler & here is what I think about it.
I went to bed early after a day yesterday of drinking lots of water & eating right. Feeling good about that.
3:30 a.m. woke right up (alarm was set for 4:30) I couldn't get back to sleep, but finally did - just in time for the alarm to go off.
I had planned to hit the road at 5:00 a.m., to have enough time to get this motha done, come home to rest before some college football today. 5:00 a.m. was still totally dark. I worry about going out in the dark alone -- kinda freaks me out.
I took my time getting ready, ate a pb&j, coffee, watermelon beans .... ho hum .... ready to run. Still dark at 6:30. Fall must be upon us. I didn't feel good about going until 7, when the sun was almost popping up. Much later start than I wanted, but such is mother nature. I could have gone to the gym at 5, but the thought of 20 miles on the treadmill? My lord.
This is how it all went down.
Mile 1 - 9:05 pace. Geez. This isn't a 5K girl, slow your butt down.
Mile 3 - stop to have some beans
Mile 3-6 - allll good. Nice easy pace. Widespread Panic/Dave Matthews mix on the ipod, feeling fine.
Mile 6-8 - my foot started hurting. I haven't really said anything about this .... denial probably .... but I have been having some pain in my heel. I have no idea what that is, but I'm afraid to know. The one thing I can't take at this point of the training is an injury! Not hurting enough to stop, so let's carry on.
Mile 8-10 - stopped for a snack size payday, water fill up & a few beans. Feeling good, foot was ok.
Mile 13 - 1/2 marathon point. Ok so here is where I start regretting my choice to do a full. If I was sticking to the 1/2 distance, I'd be done here. The 13 point puts it all into perspective for me. Do 13. Now turn around & do all of that again. omg.
No whining!
Mile 13-15 - snack time - more beans, water. Feeling pretty tired here.
Mile 16 - Taylor Swift on my ipod. Now, normally I am fine with a little Taylor Swift. But at mile 16? It made me want to scratch my eyes out. I was pretty pissed off at this point of the run. Why, why, WHY am I doing this to myself?!
This was where I started wishing I had a training partner. I thought a bit about my buddy Russ, who is training for an Ultra - bet he WISHES he only had 20 today. Needed to check myself here, have a little talk with myself.
Stop, refill water, pop a few beans, fix that little music problem, change to a Michael Jackson/Justin Timberlake/Prince mix.
As I was stopped, a cyclist came by & said "Hey pigtails - you should take up cycling, it's easier". Now, normally I would have joked around with him or just waved & agreed. I'm sure he wasn't meaning to be rude, but jerkwad, don't mess with me at mile 16.
I said a few very unlady like things, flipped him the bird & started running. Hey guess what? I run because IT ISN'T EASY. Duh.
Mile 18 - Have never run farther than this ... really, really wanted to quit. I was 2 miles from home, a route I have run a million times, but today that 2 miles seemed MUCH longer. I kept saying, just 2 more miles - you've ran 2 miles hundreds of times - stop being a crybaby.
I'm pretty sure I started talking to myself at this point. Something just happens after mile 15.... It becomes ridiculous!
Had to have some really good music to bring me home, to keep me from walking. Jack Johnson to help clear my crazy mind (alllllways works for me)
If you're going 20, you had better have pa-lenty of music ready!
Mile 20 - 2pac brings me home. (um, what a crazy mix of songs I had today! Widespread Panic, Dave Matthews, Prince, Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Jack Johnson and 2pac. LOL)
Home sweet home for an ice bath, chocolate milk, banana, some fritos for the salt & gatorade.
Feeling tired now, my shoulders ache, my lower back is sore, my bum knee is icing right now & my foot is hurting pretty bad (it's right in the bottom of my heel if anyone knows what that is...) I'm a mess! Going to rest now.
Happy Labor Day friends! Thank goodness for the long weekend!
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Can I just say that I love the title of this post?!? I always talk to myself up there in the big miles. Somewhere after 15 I totally stop caring who's listening.
ReplyDeleteHope your heel feels better soon!
15 miles is where it goes down hill and it always does : ( I have ran multiple 20 milers and 3 marathons and I never like mile 15. Here lately I have been able to get to 17 without feeling loony.
ReplyDeleteI cuss a lot when I run! It happens : )
Heel pain could be plantar faciitis. I'm also in marathon training and have been dealing with it. Do not wait, do not pass go, do not collect $200. Call a physical therapist that specializes in sports injuries immediately. I waited, thinking that stretching and ice would make it better.... long story short, I lost 4 weeks of long runs and only got to do 2 3 mile runs a week. I ignored it long enough I was limping for 48 hours after a 5k till I could get in. After 2 weeks of therapy, he let me do a tri that I had already signed up for and after 3 weeks I got to do a 15 miler. I seriously thought I was going to have to give up my marathon plans, but now with 4 weeks to go, I believe I'll be able to finish it, just not with the time I'd hoped for. Go in before it gets as bad as mine was. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteWhoo hoo! Congratulations on the 20 miles, girl. Love your emotional roller coaster.
ReplyDeleteI agree, be careful with your heel and get it checked out.
I can't say I enjoyed reading this, because I know the struggle it is to get through a lot of miles (and my highest is only 11). I appreciate reading your thoughts and it's helpful to hear other people's struggles. AWESOME!
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