I’m starting to really see how this all works, and recognize how I’m going to get from 20 to 26.2 miles.
It’s going to be hard.
It’s going to suck. For a while.
But it’s going to happen.
From about mile 15 on, it’s going to be one sore foot after the other. It won’t get better, but hopefully it won’t get much worse from that point forward. Conquering 19 miles this weekend proved it’s possible.
Our week as planned:
A nice, easy week of mid-week runs!
My first 5-mile run, I met Ginger for our park loops. We had our first cold front the day before so it was absolutely gorgeous for this run – 70° and dry. Really early in the morning. Got it done and over with. Easy peezy.
For my Wednesday 5 mile run, Ginger came to my house and we ran with a neighbor-slash-friend as well. Took him for a beautiful tour of the ‘hood that I like to call the “lake maximization route.” We pass every tiny retention pond we can find, and pretend they’re big, beautiful lakes. It’s really all I’ve got to keep me going at this point.
Still cool, but slightly more humid on Wednesday.
Thursday, I woke up yet again at butt-crack and met Ginger at Coffee Pot for our last five-miler of the week. This one, we were back to our usual summer morning temps of 77° and 99% humidity (dew point of 76). We ran this one faster than usual because we felt good and wanted to get it over with. Done.
Friday, we ate carbs and hydrated ourselves and prepped for a very. long. run. on Saturday morning.
Like 19 miles long.
You guys.
Don’t be fooled though: this was a really tough run. It was hotter than bejeebus. Started the run at 79°, ended in the 80s, all with 90% humidity. Not a cloud in the sky. Which means: bright, hot, scorching sun beaming down on us.
Our first 10 went smoothly, and really, so did the next few. When we stopped for Gu and water at mile 16, Adam said he felt all pukey and had the last couple miles. Ginger was keeping right up with me and we were feeling ok, so we pushed through the last 3 miles. Adam made it almost to 19 and then … yup. Lost his, um, Gu and banana breakfast into the water. He sat down, called me and had us pick him up.
At that point, it was so hot, so sunny and humid, I can’t even fathom it being safe to be out running anymore – not at those distances. I was getting the shivers from heat exhaustion during the last two miles. But we don’t have a choice down here – we gotta run when we gotta run, and we’re already starting at 5:15 am. How much earlier can we possibly wake up? Plus, it’s the last weekend in September, so we were just hoping it would have cooled off a little. No luck.
Anyway. We finished 19 miles. With unbelievable chafing and soreness like we’ve never experienced before. Check out my arm, two days later. This is from my armband. I had moved it down because it was rubbing under my arm, so then it started rubbing my forearm and lower arm. And now it’s all scabby and swollen in like 3 different places. Gah. Just imagine how my bottom half feels from the shorts and their underwear linings. Yup. Imagine.
So, we’ve officially conquered our second longest run of the training program. Hell yes! Just two more weeks of real training, then a 3 week taper. Which I am very, very much looking forward to!!
The plus-side of this sort of weather is that it’s still great for the beach – so we showered, rested a bit and headed out to meet up with our best friends for beers and beach time.
Lots of beers. Too much beach time. Want to do some math?
19 mile run + 88 degree temps + chafing in some very weird places + so much sunburn + ummmm let’s just say toooo many beers = I have never been so tired IN MY LIFE.
Five more weeks: I’m comin’ for ya. Then it’s party time! We’re already signing up for all the super fun fall/winter races – and we won’t even have to train for them!
